Review of Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty is the story of shy little Rosie Revere who dreams of being a great engineer. She scavenges the trash for treasures and spends her evenings tinkering and designing. Rosie hasn’t always been shy, but after her uncle laughs at one of her gizmos, Rosie hides her talents. One day, her great-great aunt (Rosie the Riveter) arrives and confesses she has always wanted to fly. Rosie gets to work designing a flying contraption to bring her aunt’s wishes to fruition. In the story, Rosie learns lessons about perseverance and being true to herself.

Image

Image of Rosie Revere, Engineer. Roberts, D. (2013). [Cover image of Rosie Revere, engineer]. Retrieved from https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/7391hjpg

Evaluation

One of the strengths of Rosie Revere, Engineer is that Andrea Beatty draws a line in the sand, creating an assertion that the reader knows will be overturned as the story progresses. At the very beginning of the story, Beatty writes that “And when she grew sleepy, she hid her machines / far under the bed, where they’d never be seen” (Beaty, 2013, p. 7). The reader knows that Rosie Revere is not going to keep her inventions hidden forever, but Beaty makes this assertion to show exactly what kind of character Rosie is, and to allow her to learn and grow. As the story progresses, the reader learns that Rosie wasn’t always shy; she used to proudly show her creations until her favorite uncle laughed at her. It takes a visit from her great-great-aunt to show Rosie exactly what she can do. When Beaty draws a line in the sand, the reader can make predictions about what will happen next.

The illustrations by David Roberts add a great deal of detail to the text. The story, told in rhyme, is amplified by the detailed illustrations. This is not a picture book to race through, but rather one to stop and linger and look at all the details. One of the most detailed illustrations is found on a two-page spread in which Rosie is surrounded by all her supplies and equipment (Beaty, 2013, pp. 6-7). She is busy tinkering away, and has everything from a stripped-down umbrella and a broken tennis racket (both of which she found in the trash on the previous page) to tape, screwdrivers and a pocketknife. This page begs to be examined carefully because it is so full of detail. Another detail that Roberts includes is that both Rosie Revere and her great-great-aunt Rosie wear their hair swept over their right eye. This small detail links Rosie to her aunt; both try new and different things and push expectations. Throughout the book, Roberts uses detail to show exactly what it means to be a tinkerer.

Finally, the illustrations by David Roberts provide interesting asides that engage the reader. One of the first things I noticed was that Rosie uses regular, household items in her contraptions, including all the parts of a baby doll. We first see the doll on the pages with all of Rosie’s supplies spread out, but the doll is missing three limbs (Beaty, 2013, p. 7). On the following page, we find the two arms have become part of the hot dog dispenser and are used to squeeze out mustard (Beaty, 2013, p. 9). The next page shows us that Rosie has used the doll’s leg and foot to dispense cheddar cheese spray on the snake-repelling hat she designed for Zookeeper Fred (Beaty, 2013, p. 10). Even the doll’s head is used as a controller for the flying machine (Beaty, 2013, p. 23). One additional aside that is especially interesting to the reader is the two-page spread that showcases some famous women in aviation history. From the well-known Amelia Earheart to E. Lillian Todd, the first woman to design airplanes in 1906 (Beaty, 2013, pp. 26-27), these illustrations indicate that Rosie Revere is following in the footsteps of some very capable female engineers. These intriguing asides add detail to the story while fully engaging the reader.

Response

I could really relate the character of Rosie Revere on a personal level and as a teacher-librarian. As a child, I was very shy and was also very influenced by the opinions of others. I didn’t always believe that I was capable and would have shrunk into myself, as Rosie does, when teased and laughed at. Learning not to care what others think is something I still have to work on at times, but I have learned to persevere, even when things are difficult. Beaty makes her point very clear; you must keep trying even when things are hard and that “the only true failure can come if you quit” (Beaty, 2013, p. 27). I agree with the idea that we must learn from our mistakes; this is something that I have worked on with my own children (especially with things like music – you only get better if you practice!). It is so important to teach kids to keep trying and that you might not succeed right away. Though Beaty’s message is not very subtle, this is still an important lesson to teach children today. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and have used it in the school library in conjunction with makerspaces; the illustrations are engaging and the message is an important one.

Conclusion

Rosie Revere, Engineer is an engaging story of a young inventor. Beatty draws a line in the sand at the beginning of the novel, allowing the readers to make predictions about where the story is heading. Though the message is strong and important, the illustrations really make the story engaging for the reader. There is so much detail that the reader just wants to pore over each page, soaking it all in. In addition, the illustrations by David Roberts provide interesting asides that a close reader will see and appreciate. I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it for students aged 5-8. It would be excellent for teachers to use before STEAM activities, science experiments or makerspace activities. 4 stars.

Citations

Beaty, A. (2013). Rosie Revere, engineer. New York, NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Roberts, D. (2013). [Cover image of Rosie Revere, engineer]. Retrieved from https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/7391hjpg