Rosie Revere, Engineer (Questioneers)

Beaty and Roberts return to the themes (and second-grade classroom) of 2007's Iggy Peck, Architect to revel in the talents and insecurities of one of his classmates. Rosie Revere loves nothing more than to create Rube Goldberg-worthy contraptions during the wee hours of the morning. But an earlier incident has sapped Rosie's self-confidence: after she created a quirky snake-deterring hat for a beloved zookeeper uncle, his response was devastating: "He laughed till he wheezed and his eyes filled with tears, / all to the horror of Rosie Revere." It takes a visit from another enterprising family member to restore Rosie's faith in herself. The book's message--that the unthinking words and actions of adults can have a chilling effect on children--is an important one, though Beaty hammers it a bit hard in her singsong rhymes. Luckily, Roberts compensates with comically detailed mixed-media illustrations that keep the mood light and emphasize Rosie's creativity at every turn. To wit, in Rosie's version of using every part of the buffalo, she doesn't let a single baby doll appendage go to waste. Ages 5-up. (Sept.)

K-Gr 2--Young Rosie is always trying to solve problems with her inventions. Shy and quiet, she resists talking about her dream to become a great engineer when a favorite uncle laughs at one of the gizmos she designs especially for him. But when Great-Great Aunt Rose shows up for an extended stay sporting a red polka-dotted scarf a la Rosie the Riveter, she regales her niece with stories of her experiences building airplanes during World War II. She wistfully declares, "The only thrill left on my list is to fly!/But time never lingers as long as it seems./I'll chalk that one up to an old lady's dreams." This is an itch that Rosie has to scratch, so she sets about designing a unique contraption to help her aunt take to the skies. Of course, it doesn't turn out as planned, but Rose helps Rosie see that it was a success, despite its short air time. By the end of the story, Rosie is wearing the same polka-dotted scarf around her head. Rosie's second-grade teacher, Ms. Greer, is a lot more encouraging and open-minded about the power of creation and creativity than she was in Iggy Peck, Architect (Abrams, 2007). Roberts's charming watercolor and ink illustrations are full of whimsical details. The rhyming text may take a few practice shots before an oral reading just to get the rhythm right, but the story will no doubt inspire conversations with children about the benefits of failure and the pursuit of dreams.--Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID