Betty Builds It - by Julie Hampton (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Combining humor and art with STEM subjects of science, technology, and math, Betty Builds It explores a burgeoning friendship between a genius engineering robot girl and her sweet younger brother who just wants to support his sister.

Betty could build just about anything. Whatever she needs, she can make it for herself. But with a screen as her parental unit and her baby brother Toby who can't do much, Betty longs for a friend--so she builds one! While Toby struggles to get his sister's attention, Betty continues to build and build, until finally she realizes what she was looking for was beside her the whole time.

Betty Builds It is a sweet family story of the new friendship between siblings, and also celebrates and promotes women and girls in science.

Review Quotes

"The focus on engineering and troubleshooting could make this a great addition to a STEAM-powered storytime, and its traditional ending about learning to get along with your siblings makes the book well rounded. . . . readers will like watching Betty use everyday materials and tools, like skateboard wheels and speaker components, to alter her friend to her new specifications, showing the everyday applications of building and inventing. A solid STEAM-inspired addition."
--School Library Journal

"A female character with robotic engineering skills will be a welcome addition in many classrooms and library collections. You go girl--use those mechanical skills."
--Kirkus Reviews

"This cute story brings home two major life truths. Necessity is the mother of invention! Need has a way of pressing us into remedies. And, often what we need is right in front of us all the time! Little Betty is a lonely little bot. She can build just about anything. One day she sets herself to building a friend that can run fast, jump high, and talk, just like her. When things begin to go wrong, Betty realizes what she longs for has been right in front of her all along!"
--Children's Bookwatch