The Kid Who Wants To Become an Engineer - Sannette Viljoen

The Kid Who Wants To Become an Engineer

Received four, five-star Readers' Favorite reviews!

Read inside the book with pictures at  https://store.bookbaby.com/book/The-Kid-Who-Wants-to-Become-an-Engineer

The Kid Who Wants To Become an Engineer

The schools in England have closed for the Christmas season, and Alvin is bored at home.

While watching the snow falling outside through the living room window, he wishes he could play outside, but it is too cold.

Alvin and his younger sister, Carey, can no longer wait to go visit their grandparents for the Christmas holidays in South Africa, where it is always summer this time of year.

Alvin's mom, Cherley Goode, calls them, "Come on Alvin and Carey—let's go pack your suitcases since we are flying to see Granddad and Granny tomorrow. Remember to pack your swimwear and some toys. Oh, and Granddad said he has a huge surprise for you!"

When Alvin hears that Granddad Joel has a surprise, he sprints to his bedroom and quickly packs a suitcase full of summer clothes and some toys, like his cars, trains, ships, aeroplanes, as well as his favourite toy, a robotic dinosaur.

The next day, while boarding the train to go to the airport, Alvin's dad, André Goode, shows them the electrical cables above the train's rooftop that powers the train.

They go through a couple of tunnels until they reach the airport where large aeroplanes are flying in and out.

Alvin is amazed to see all the lights lighting up the runways.

Mom explains, "Those lights guide the pilots to see where they need to land their aeroplanes."

Inside the airport, Mom is suddenly not feeling well. She takes a tablet to relieve her headache.

At the boarding gate, Dad shows them through the large airport windows how some airport staff are filling their aeroplane with fuel.

They also see how other airport staff load their luggage onto a conveyor belt onto the aeroplane.

Soon after, the Goode family boards their aeroplane and flies off to sunny South Africa for Christmas. It is a very long flight ...

After the pilot announces they are preparing for landing at Cape Town International Airport, Mom points out the window and shows them all the ships anchored in the harbour below.

"Look at those large cranes down there; they are offloading the containers from that ship," says Mom, "Inside those containers you may find goods like food, clothes, electronics or toys like your robotic dinosaur Alvin," she smiles.

While getting off the plane, Alvin looks at the aeroplane's large engines shutting down.

Inside the airport, Dad points out where to go fetch their luggage, "There, at the conveyor belt terminal, called a baggage carousel."

After collecting their luggage, Alvin and Carey run ahead to greet their grandparents, who are already waiting for them.

Granddad Joel and Granny Bella are so delighted to see them all.

Granddad says, "Guess what Alvin and Carey? I have a huge surprise for you!"

"What is it Granddad?" they ask simultaneously.

"Well, you'll just have to wait and see when we get home. Let's go!"

On the way in Granddad's new car, Alvin notices they are crossing over a river on a concrete bridge while another road is under construction.

Once they arrive home, Granddad says, "Go look at your surprise in the back garden!"

Alvin and Carey are amazed to find a big wooden treehouse built in the big old tree.

Granddad proudly says, "I built this treehouse just for the two of you, and Granny decorated it on the inside. You both can go and look at your new treehouse."

Having thanked their grandparents, they quickly climb up onto the wooden porch, where they saw an empty fishpond underneath them.

It looks lovely inside. They could not be happier about their surprise.

Alvin looks around, "Thank you, Granddad! We love it!"

Later, when it's nighttime, Alvin switches on the lights. He notices in the one corner a wooden box filled with Christmas tree lights and wonders why Granddad left it there.

While playing, Granny brings him some milk and cookies, handing it to him before climbing up the steps.

"Thank you for the milk and cookies Granny. Is Carey already asleep?"

"Yes, Alvin, she is, but Granddad said you can sleep inside your treehouse tonight if you want to."

"Yes please, I'd love to! Thank you, Granny."

Happy to spend time with her grandson again, she asks, "Tell me, Alvin, what are you doing inside this beautiful treehouse?"

"Oh Granny, I'm playing with my toys. I want to build a harbour for my ships, a bridge for these cars to drive over, a train station for those trains over there and an airport for these two aeroplanes. I will also build a cave for my robotic dinosaur. I am planning on building it with these leftover wooden blocks that Granddad gave us to play with."

"Oh," says Granny, "You remind me so much of Granddad when he was an engineer. It sounds like you want to become one too."

Alvin looks confused, "Oh, I didn't know Granddad was an engineer. What is an engineer, Granny?"

Granny explains, "You get different types of engineers Alvin. To name a few: there are aviation, mechanical, chemical, marine, electrical and a couple other types of engineers. Granddad was a civil engineer."

Alvin still confused asks, "Granny, what do all those engineers do?"

"Well," she says while sitting down, "Let me start by explaining what an aviation engineer does."

Alvin listens attentively.

"Aviation Engineers design, develop and assemble aircraft, like your two aeroplanes. They improve aviation by focusing on airport design, aeroplane navigation technologies, airspace and drones."

"Oh, Dad has a drone back at home Granny. I love drones!"

She smiles, "I'm glad, Alvin. Then there is a mechanical engineer. Some Mechanical Engineers help build robots or machine engines that are powered by steam, petrol or diesel. They can also help to build cars, trains, trucks or even this robotic dinosaur of yours."

Alvin is amazed at what he is learning and says, "I didn't know a mechanical engineer could do that!"

Granny smiles and says, "Yes my dear, all engineers are clever people, take a chemical engineer for instance."

Alvin asks, "A chemical engineer?"

"Yes, my boy—Chemical Engineers usually work with chemicals inside a laboratory. They help clean our water, process food, treat diseases by creating medicine and help generate energy—like the fuel we need to drive our cars."

Alvin says, "But that sounds difficult to do."

"Yes, Alvin, it is difficult but without chemical engineers our lives would be very different. There would be no fuel for aeroplanes to fly or any medicine when we fall ill. But wait, there are also marine engineers."

Alvin asks, "What does a Marine Engineer do Granny?"

"Marine Engineers are responsible for all major mechanical and engineered equipment on board a ship. They design, construct and maintain vehicles and structures used on or around water. They also help build cruise ships, oil platforms and harbours, like the harbour you want to build for your two ships."

"That's interesting, Granny! Mom showed us the harbour through the aeroplane window. I can't wait to build my harbour!"

... End of first few pages. To read inside the book with pictures go to:  https://store.bookbaby.com/book/The-Kid-Who-Wants-to-Become-an-Engineer