Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Girl solves boys-vs.-girls dispute in smart series start.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
ELLIE, ENGINEER introduces can-do third-grader Ellie Bell, who sports a tool belt over her fluffy skirt. The French-braider she invents for her best friend, Kit, is a bust, so Ellie scrambles to build a better birthday present. Since Kit expects her big gift will be a dog, Ellie aims to make the best doghouse ever. It's such a big project, she agrees to let her neighbor Toby help. Then she recruits McKinley, Taylor, and Madison, known as The Presidents, to decorate. But boys and girls don't get along in her neighborhood, and Ellie's sure neither Toby nor The Presidents can work together. So she lies about who's doing what, and Toby, The Presidents, and even Kit all get their feelings hurt -- and that's one problem Ellie isn't sure how to fix.
Is It Any Good?
In her bright new series start, author Jackson Pearce presents a simple yet effective overview of how to systematically engineer solutions, from what to build to how to work together. The girls and boys here defy conventions: Ellie loves getting her hands dirty, Kit enjoys being in beauty pageants, and Toby likes both tea parties and drawing butts. Ellie, Engineer showcases a strong girl who frets about "jerk boys" but makes a strong case for dumping assumptions about what girls and boys do and don't like. Ellie's enthusiasm and initiative sometimes get her into trouble, but she's always learning -- and her heart's in the right place.
Tuesday Mourning's illustrations of the plans Ellie and her friends come up with make the idea of sketching out builds approachable. Ellie's projects are less far-fetched than the inventions in many books featuring precocious young builders, which helps make engineering principles very accessible. And an engaging heroine with appealing friends makes the whole package plenty of fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why Ellie lies to her friends in Ellie, Engineer. Do you think some "white lies" are ever OK?
Have you ever felt excluded just because you're a boy or a girl?
Have you solved a problem by using an engineering approach like Ellie's? Try planning your own build.
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Tuesday Mourning
- Genre : Science
- Topics : Friendship , STEM
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Bloomsbury Children's Books
- Publication date : January 16, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 192
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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