Wild West chaos and creative problem solving are the force behind a well-loved American institution.What's a California miner to do when gold dust sifts right out of his holey pockets? With such a raggedy wardrobe, he may as well be mining in the vanilla (that is, his birthday suit)! Good thing Levi Strauss is out west, ready with his needle and a head full of bright ideas. With some quick thinking, quicker stitching, and handy arithmetic, Levi keeps all the gold rushers clothed?and becomes a modern American hero. A Wild West tall tale, Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea celebrates creativity, innovation, and the ubiquitous item that fills the closets of grateful jeans wearers worldwide.

Tony Johnston is the award-winning author of more than one hundred books for young people, including the New York Times bestseller Off to Kindergarten, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, and The Quilt Story, illustrated by Tomie dePaola. She lives in California, where she was born and raised.