In 1917 Cincinnati, a quiet and intellectually curious boy named Eugene often feels lonely. Despite his passion for inventions and books, he struggles to connect with other boys. Retreating to his attic sanctuary, Eugene conceives an audacious plan: if he can't find a friend, he'll build one – the "Friend Machine".

His detailed blueprints lead him on a quest for unique parts through the bustling tapestry of Cincinnati, far beyond his familiar streets. He explores workshops, clockmakers' bins, and the vibrant riverfront, gathering components like a brass casing and a delicate spring. However, one crucial copper tube for his machine's "understanding circuit" remains elusive.

This search takes him to a forgotten part of the city, where he encounters Elias, a street-smart boy with sharp, intelligent eyes. Despite his shyness, Eugene finds himself explaining his invention and his loneliness to Elias, who listens with genuine interest. Elias then guides Eugene to the exact copper tube he needs, and an unlikely partnership begins.

Working side-by-side in Eugene's attic, they build the Friend Machine, but more importantly, they build a deep friendship. Eugene discovers that Elias embodies all the qualities he was trying to program into his machine – loyalty, understanding, and a constant presence.

As the machine nears completion, Eugene realizes he no longer needs it to find a friend because he already has Elias. He bravely tells Elias, "Because... because I already have you. You're the friend I was trying to build. You're... you're perfect". Emboldened by this newfound bond, Eugene asks his parents if Elias, who has no home, can stay with them, and they agree to open their home to "another kind soul".

The Friend Machine remains as a charming monument to their journey, a "map that led me to you". Through their adventures exploring Cincinnati together, Eugene learns that true friendship is a far more valuable invention than anything he could have imagined, built not by wires, but by "the simple, enduring power of the human heart".

This English-language book, "Eugene and the Friend Machine," is 17 pages in print length, designed for a reading age of 5-18 years, and was made accessible upon its publication on August 1, 2025.

Item In the bustling heart of Cincinnati, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seventeen, lived a boy named Eugene. Now, Cincinnati in 1917 was a marvel to behold. Its streets, though still cobbled in many places, hummed with the gentle clatter of horse-drawn carriages sharing space with the exciting new rumble of automobiles. Gas lamps flickered to life as dusk settled, casting a warm, inviting glow on brick row houses. The mighty Ohio River, a wide, brown ribbon, flowed past the city, carrying steamboats laden with goods and dreams. It was a city of industry and innovation, of grand architecture and hidden alleys, a place where the future felt close enough to touch.

But for all the excitement and progress around him, Eugene often felt a quiet loneliness. He was a boy of sharp intellect and boundless curiosity, with eyes that sparkled when he spoke of gears and pulleys, and a mind that hummed with inventions yet to be conceived. He loved to read, devouring books about faraway lands and scientific discoveries, and his hands were always busy, tinkering with discarded clocks or sketching intricate designs in his worn notebook. His parents, good and loving folk, were often occupied with the demands of their busy lives, his father at the printing press and his mother managing their lively household. They saw Eugene's quiet nature as a sign of deep thought, never quite realizing the ache in his heart for companionship.