This true story of a woman whose brilliance and mechanical expertise
helped Britain win World War II is sure to inspire STEM readers and fans
of amazing women in history.
Beatrice Shilling wasn't quite like other children. She could make
anything. She could fix anything. And when she took a thing apart, she
put it back together better than before.
When Beatrice left home to study engineering, she knew that as a girl
she wouldn't be quite like the other engineers--and she wasn't. She was
better. Still, it took hard work and perseverance to persuade the Royal
Aircraft Establishment to give her a chance. But when World War II broke
out and British fighter pilots took to the skies in a desperate struggle
for survival against Hitler's bombers, it was clearly time for new
ideas. Could Beatrice solve an engine puzzle and help Britain win the
war? American author Mara Rockliff and British illustrator Daniel Duncan
team up for a fresh look at a turning point in modern history--and the
role of a remarkable woman whose ingenuity, persistence, and way with a
wrench (or spanner) made her quite unlike anyone else. An author's note
and a list of selective sources provide additional information for
curious readers.