In this episode of Rosie Reads, we’re blasting off with a curious and creative rabbit as he imagines what life would be like if he built a jetpack. If You Had a Jetpack – written by Lisl Detlefsen, illustrated by Linzie Hunter and published in 2018 – follows the main the character as he zooms between school, his grandma’s house, and even outer space! His adventures range from the mundane to the out-of-this world (literally) and often have an element of kindness to them as well.

When you’re finished reading If You Had a Jetpack, ask kids these comprehension questions:

  • Where does the rabbit go with his jetpack? Name at least 3 places!
  • How does he use his jetpack to help people?

For our Rosie Reads activity, ask kids to think about the branches of science and engineering (chemistry, physics, aeronautics, mechanical engineering, etc.) that they’d use, and the types of experiments they’d need to perform, to create and build a jetpack like the main character.

Take it a step further and ask them to design their own jetpacks! With the above background in mind (the branches of science involved and the experiments they’d need to perform) what kind of jetpack would they make? How would they use it to help people like the rabbit did in the book? You can even encourage them to make plans for producing these amazing creations. Map out the steps of the engineering design process (for elementary school students they are: ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve) and ask kids how they’d approach each one in order to make their designs a reality!