Rosie Revere Engineer by Andrea Beaty

Rosie Revere is a natural born tinkerer, creating fantastical gadgets out of found objects. When one of her inventions is received with laughter, Rosie decides her engineering needs to be confined to her attic room. The encouragement of her great, great aunt Rose (who just happens to be Rosie the Riveter - an iconic trailblazer) gives Rosie the courage to pursue her interests regardless of what people think; to redefine what failure means; and to persevere in the face of that failure. The affection and respect the Rosies feel for each other warms this auntie's heart (and makes this a great choice for book-buying aunties), and the joy Rosie experiences from the creative process is palpable. Beaty's language is rich and rhyming, and Roberts’ mixed media illustrations are quirky and expressive. As with their earlier collaboration Iggy Peck, Architect, there is a perfect (and lively) balance of words and images. The illustrations could delight a sophisticated three year old, but the language and message are better suited to a slightly older child. Absolutely love it.

--Reviewed by Ingrid, manager of Books Inc. Laurel Village