Scan barcode
kelleemoye's review against another edition
5.0
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=15216
I so often hear stories from women my age that share that they loved science or nature or math when they were younger but that they were steered away from that those interests in little ways that they don’t even remember, but they do remember just not loving science anymore. This is exactly the scenario that has raised awareness in the need for STEM or STEAM books, programs, and role models for young girls. Ellie Bell is a perfect girl for this mission! Ellie wants to be an engineer when she grows up and even has her own workshop where her parents give her free reign to work on projects (with the safer tools–power tools require supervision). Pearce has even set up Ellie Engineer to include drawings and plans for Ellie’s projects to show readers how Ellie goes from an idea to a project. And Ellie’s story is one that all readers will connect with as well, so it is a win-win in narrative and STEM!
I so often hear stories from women my age that share that they loved science or nature or math when they were younger but that they were steered away from that those interests in little ways that they don’t even remember, but they do remember just not loving science anymore. This is exactly the scenario that has raised awareness in the need for STEM or STEAM books, programs, and role models for young girls. Ellie Bell is a perfect girl for this mission! Ellie wants to be an engineer when she grows up and even has her own workshop where her parents give her free reign to work on projects (with the safer tools–power tools require supervision). Pearce has even set up Ellie Engineer to include drawings and plans for Ellie’s projects to show readers how Ellie goes from an idea to a project. And Ellie’s story is one that all readers will connect with as well, so it is a win-win in narrative and STEM!
rkiladitis's review against another edition
4.0
Ellie, Engineer, by Jackson Pearce, (Jan. 2018, Bloomsbury USA), $15.99, ISBN: 9781681195193
Recommended for readers 7-10
Ellie is a 9 year-old engineer: she can take darn near anything apart and make it something even cooler. Most of the time. When she sets out to make an amazing birthday gift for her best friend, Kit, she finds herself in the middle of a friendship mess: the girls normally don't like the "jerk boys", but Ellie's discovered that they're not so bad after all. So she works with each group in secret, hoping to avoid drama. Oops. Ellie has to get both groups talking to her again, and to each other, to finish Kit's birthday present on time!
This is such a fun story about a positive female character who wears what she wants and does what she wants: she rocks a tool belt over her skirts and matches outfits with her best friend. She draws up her own blueprints and can make anything, from a water balloon launcher to a security system that will keep annoying little brother's out of her friend's room. Her best friend, Kit, is a pageant girl and ballet dancer who works right alongside Ellie, and the boys in the neighborhood enjoy a good tea party as much as they do a soccer game. Get it? They're kids. They like to play. This whole story is about bringing boys and girls together under common interests, and it does so nicely. Girls will see themselves in Ellie, especially those who find themselves confused about whether or not girls *can* be friends with boys, or wonder if it's okay to still like pretty dresses if they can rock a screwdriver. There are some laughs: Ellie's got a few backfires, and a few successes that will make kids laugh, and the heart of the story - cooperation and friendship - is a gratifying message. Black and white illustrations showcase Ellie's sketches for different projects, and a section at the end provides illustrations and a guide to basic tools for burgeoning builders and engineers. Give this to the kids who have grown out of Andrea Beaty's Rosie Revere, Engineer; Iggy Peck, Architect; and Ada Twist, Scientist. Display and booktalk with the Girls Who Code and the Lucy's Lab chapter books. Put out paper and ask kids to come up with their own plans - what do they want to make? Leave straws, pipe cleaners, cardboard, toothpicks, glue, marshmallows - anything the kids can build with - out and let the room have at it.
Recommended for readers 7-10
Ellie is a 9 year-old engineer: she can take darn near anything apart and make it something even cooler. Most of the time. When she sets out to make an amazing birthday gift for her best friend, Kit, she finds herself in the middle of a friendship mess: the girls normally don't like the "jerk boys", but Ellie's discovered that they're not so bad after all. So she works with each group in secret, hoping to avoid drama. Oops. Ellie has to get both groups talking to her again, and to each other, to finish Kit's birthday present on time!
This is such a fun story about a positive female character who wears what she wants and does what she wants: she rocks a tool belt over her skirts and matches outfits with her best friend. She draws up her own blueprints and can make anything, from a water balloon launcher to a security system that will keep annoying little brother's out of her friend's room. Her best friend, Kit, is a pageant girl and ballet dancer who works right alongside Ellie, and the boys in the neighborhood enjoy a good tea party as much as they do a soccer game. Get it? They're kids. They like to play. This whole story is about bringing boys and girls together under common interests, and it does so nicely. Girls will see themselves in Ellie, especially those who find themselves confused about whether or not girls *can* be friends with boys, or wonder if it's okay to still like pretty dresses if they can rock a screwdriver. There are some laughs: Ellie's got a few backfires, and a few successes that will make kids laugh, and the heart of the story - cooperation and friendship - is a gratifying message. Black and white illustrations showcase Ellie's sketches for different projects, and a section at the end provides illustrations and a guide to basic tools for burgeoning builders and engineers. Give this to the kids who have grown out of Andrea Beaty's Rosie Revere, Engineer; Iggy Peck, Architect; and Ada Twist, Scientist. Display and booktalk with the Girls Who Code and the Lucy's Lab chapter books. Put out paper and ask kids to come up with their own plans - what do they want to make? Leave straws, pipe cleaners, cardboard, toothpicks, glue, marshmallows - anything the kids can build with - out and let the room have at it.
wintermote's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Such a sweet friendship story dealing with boy/girl friendships and gender norms (girls can build and play sports too!) both the 6-year-old and I loved it!
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
5.0
Ellie is a new favorite character - she's breaking gender norms and having fun while she does it! Let's read kids more books like this so they grow up knowing it's about what they like and what feels right instead of following societal "rules".
jshettel's review against another edition
4.0
Adorable early chapter book about a girl who loves to engineer solutions to problems!!
critterbee's review against another edition
3.0
I was not a fan of much of the grammar and wording in this book, but it was nice to see a character modeled after a young aspiring engineer, but somehow Ellie did not feel completely realistic. But perhaps it was meant to be a bit fantastical. Perhaps in the manner of Roald Dahl? Further evidence of this in the part where Ellie's mother says:
'If anyone gets electrocuted, come find me, OK?'
eeeeeeee
A little odd, a little creepy, but without addressing it in the story itself. Kind of a question mark.
*eARC Netgalley*
'If anyone gets electrocuted, come find me, OK?'
eeeeeeee
A little odd, a little creepy, but without addressing it in the story itself. Kind of a question mark.
*eARC Netgalley*
bookworm_baggins's review against another edition
3.0
Read aloud with Gwen. Parts of this books were so sweet and fun, but it suffered from being long-winded and would have been much better condensed.
sparkingwonder's review against another edition
4.0
The appendix of tools and how to use them is a great addition to a book geared towards tinkers.
kendallbridgete's review against another edition
2.0
Eh. It was OK/fine. Nothing exceptional. The target audience might enjoy it more than me...
cweichel's review against another edition
4.0
I am delighted with this novel about a young girl's who loves frilly dresses and making things. The image of a young girl in a poufy dress with a work belt fastened around her waist epitomizes the gamut of available choices we want for our daughters.
Ellie ends up getting into trouble when she enlists different people into helping her make a surprise gift of a doghouse for her best friend's birthday.
I had some trouble with the initial boys vs girls dynamics in the beginning of the book, although the characters do seem to deal with it positively by the end.
Ellie ends up getting into trouble when she enlists different people into helping her make a surprise gift of a doghouse for her best friend's birthday.
I had some trouble with the initial boys vs girls dynamics in the beginning of the book, although the characters do seem to deal with it positively by the end.