• Age: 8 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7
• Reading age: 8 to 12

How do you land a rover on Mars, resolve a perpetual traffic jam or save a herd of caribou from potential extinction? Ask an engineer! Author Shannon Hunt presents nine real-life problems for which engineers designed inventive (and even crazy!) solutions. Each was solved using a different field of engineering --- from aerospace and mechanical to the new field of geomatics. A helpful seven-step flowchart of the engineering design process is also featured: define the problem, investigate the requirements, develop solutions, design a prototype, test it, improve it and share the idea. These steps are highlighted in each chapter with helpful icons that refer back to the flowchart. Sidebars, biographies of the engineers and fun detailed illustrations by James Gulliver Hancock help flesh out the stories and bring them to life.

This terrific introduction to some fascinating practical applications of engineering is sure to inspire the natural engineer in every child. With its emphasis on real-world connections to the math, science and technology skills applied with critical thinking and creative problem solving, this book is a natural for encouraging STEM education (science, technology, engineering, math). With so many direct curriculum applications for grades three to seven, and in following with the guidelines in the Next Generation Science Standards, this book is a perfect resource for classrooms and libraries, as well as anywhere a makerspace is found. Includes a table of contents, glossary and index.

Shannon Hunt is the bestselling co-author of Fantastic Feats and Failures and The Amazing International Space Station. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.

Shannon Hunt's profile page

James Gulliver Hancock is an illustrator whose books include Underworld, How Cities Work and All the Buildings in New York. He divides his time between Brooklyn, New York, and Sydney, Australia.

James Gulliver Hancock's profile page

• Short-listed, Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List, Texas Library Association
• Silver Birch Nonfiction Award, Ontario Library Association
• Winner, Best Books for Kids & Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre
• Short-listed, Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award
• Winner, Eureka! Honor Award, California Reading Association

... an exceptional book full of interesting and intriguing innovations ...

CM Magazine

With energetic, colorful visuals and layouts, plus real-world problem-solving applications, this offers an engaging, accessible introduction to engineering ...

Booklist

... an excellent introduction for both the budding engineer and for a kid who simply wants to understand how we approach problems and find solutions.

Canadian Children's Book News

Eye-opening, encouraging, and attractive ...

Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Great graphic-style pictures create interest and inspiration.

The Calgary Herald