If You Had a Jetpack

by Lisl H. Detlefsen, Linzie Hunter (Contributor)

A fun and creative answer to the question "what would YOU do if you had a jetpack?" perfect for fans of Boy and Bot and How to Train a Train .

Having a jetpack is fun--if you know what to do with one.

If you had a jetpack, you
Join one inventive little rabbit as he and his brother put their new jetpack to good use!


"An energetic, crowd-pleasing read-aloud that can be revisited again and again."-- SLJ

"This vivid picture book will leave kids longing for jetpacks, while taking off on their own flights of fancy."-- Booklist

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Humor, Fiction, Stem, Adventure

40 pages, Library Binding

First published April 24, 2018

About the author

Lisl H. Detlefsen lives on a cranberry marsh near Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, with her husband and two sons. She writes while she watches wildlife wander past her office window. Her favorite part of the year is when it's time for harvest.

Lisl is represented by agent Jennifer Mattson of Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in the sixties and seventies, I was led to believe that the future (now) would be WAY MORE AWESOME than it's actually turned out to be. I mean, at the very least we should all have our own personal jetpacks . . . right?

In this zany tale, YOU are a happy little rabbit who designs your own jetpack . . . which just leads to a whole lot of other chores, so you're probably better off just taking a nap, or binge-watching something.

Some of the things I loved about this one, besides the rockin' illustrations,



are the fact that Nana has golf clubs instead of knitting needles, and that the president is a woman. (She's some sort of bear/woodchuck type critter, but she's definitely female, so, YAY!)



A fun book to be enjoyed by the young, the old, and even the disgruntled.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

IF ONLY I DID HAVE ONE! Great book about imagination and tenacity - love the art!

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you made yourself a jetpack one day, because you were bored, then a whole world of adventures would open up before you. The narrator of this engaging picture-book describes all the things her young protagonist could do with his jetpack, from sharing it with friends and family, to using it to visit the astronauts (and aliens) in space. Eventually, even jetpacks run out of power, however, but luckily the young protagonist can find interesting things to do, no matter the situation.

Whether it is read as an actual science-fiction story about a boy and his jetpack-related adventures, or as the tale of a child's many games of make-believe, If You Had a Jetpack makes for a fun, entertaining picture-book. The many imaginative ways that author Lisl H. Detlefsen envisions the eponymous jetpack being used will keep kids engaged, while the colorful, energetic artwork from illustrator Linzie Hunter will keep them engrossed in the page. Recommended to young children who dream of having their own jetpack, and going on extraordinary adventures themselves.

[Sarah Wyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very funny story told in the vein of "If you give a mouse a cookie." Recommended for K-3rd grade, particularly those with little siblings who love to tag along.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Similar to the "If you give a mouse" series. Good mentor text for teaching adverbs.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lively illustrations, created with Procreate and Photoshop and some filling the pages so that they are almost too crowded while others are less so, complement a story about the creativity of one youngster. While some folks might be content with complaining about how bored they are, others, like the main character here, are quick to take action, in this case, fashioning a jetpack. His invention takes him all over the place, and various things happen. But I really liked in this book was how the author used a series of adverbs so perfectly in telling the story. Each of the double-page spreads ends with an adverb that describes the conditions under which things occur. The storyline is outlandish, of course, resulting in a medal being presented, and the main character needing some solitude before getting right back to inventing once again. I liked how the author takes a simple premise and weaves quite a tall tale with it. Even though a grammar lesson isn't her intention, I would use this picture book to demonstrate the importance of adverbs and precise word choice.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

If You Had a Jetpack by Lisa H. Detlefsen. PICTURE BOOK. Alfred A. Knopf, 2018. $18. 9780399553295.

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3)- ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH


If you get bored, you could build your own jetpack. It will be tricky, but once you’re done, you can basically go wherever you want. You can show the jetpack off at school. You could give the principal a ride home. You could fly over to your Nana’s house for a visit. Because you’re so clever, you’ll come up with lots of other things to do with your jetpack.

The pictures in this book are a delight to look at. They are bright and detailed, and beg to be studied so you don’t miss anything. The story is very imaginative and young readers will relate to wanting to build anything and go anywhere. My four year old loved pretending to make her own jetpack after reading this (along with a lot of other inventions).

Shay, High School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Read Ribbet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wisconsin author Lisl Detlefoen has written an engaging book that shows an interesting cause and effect chain. Readers will find the story and illustrations fun to follow and explore. The If-so chain is a good model for readers to use in understanding and structuring other similar stories. Inthe end, the book reminds the reader that the cure to boredom is using your own cleverness and creativity. A good book to add to classroom collections.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pair with Suddenly Alligator by Rick Watson or compare with If you... stories (If you give a mouse a cookie). Could be a mentor text as students learn to write their own If this Then that story. "While" "Once" "After" "When" "Then".
The kids loved the busy illustrations-think Richard Scarry or Monkey with a Tool Belt.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book that combines Cause and Effect that's reminiscent of IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE, plenty of humor, and creative STEM themes for a read aloud that's thoroughly satisfying. I love the way this book empowers kids to use their brains and creative thinking. This is full of imagination and fun.

[Tai Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations. I see this book as an interesting way to teach adverbs such as eventually, patiently, cautiously, politely and others. All in the context of the possibility of the usage of a jetpack. Suitable for kindergarten readers. Some may need to be parent accompanied.

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Similar to, but more sophisticated than the "If you give a Mouse a Cookie" franchise, this story about what might happen if you happen to be a handy kid who built themselves a jetpack is packed full of silliness and vocabulary. Kids and adults should appreciate this. Clever and fun.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of charming, energetic zaniness.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm crazy for adverbs, and it might be part of the reason why I LOVED this book!

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of jetpacks, flight, travel and outer space may enjoy this STEM story, about a little rabbit who builds and jetpack and takes off for adventure.
Kids voted to give it 5 stars.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hilarious.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute and imaginative!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that builds on itself as it goes through what life would be like if you built your own jet pack. Has a great message of being creative and keeping yourself inspired

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book that would be great with preschool or Kinders.

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two animal (rabbits? dogs?) siblings fantasize about all the fun they'd have with jetpacks.

Illustrations are very engaging.

[Syntha Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

delightful

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you built yourself a jetpack there are many amazing things you could do, which you can find out in this book with fun illustrations.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story that would go really well with cause and effect lessons. Add to your cause and effect pile. Would pair well with If You Give A Mouse a Cookie.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you like to build today? How about making your very own jetpack.

That way, according to the narrator of this pleasurable read (spiked with plenty of gentle humor), you could teach yourself how to fly.

From that premise, the narrator's flights of fancy get wilder and wilder, with all kinds of speculation flying by.

FIVE STARS for the cheerful creativity and the narrator's intrepid resourcefulness. Excellent words by Lisl H. Detlefsen, supplemented by fanciful -- bordering on zany -- illustrations by Linzie Hunter.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If you found yourself bored, with nothing to do, you could build yourself a jet pack.”

Then let the adventure begin! From playing turbo tag at school to flying south to see your nana to a visit with the astronauts in space, your jet pack will help you move immediately, boldly, and bravely.


In the style of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie but with much more elaboration, this should be a fun read aloud.

[Tompkins County Public Library Youth Services]

In this delightful circular story, imaginative folks never get bored. The writing is straightforward and entertaining. Periodically a significant adverb, such as eventually, patiently, or cautiously, creates a pause in the action-packed story and adds humor into it. Reading this book aloud with children would surely get a lot of giggling. It would also be a great way to start some projects where children can create their own jetpacks and write their own jetpack adventure stories

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very straightforward story about a rabbit who uses his imagination to create a jetpack and do amazing things with it! It is cute, but does get farfetched in its ideas of what you could do - but that is how kids think so I think it will speak to kids. There is a clear kindness and gentleness to the rabbit's actions which is endearing. The illustrations are colorful cute, albeit very busy at times.

[Connie T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An if/then story told in second person involving a bored bunny who is inspired to build himself a jetpack and go on all sorts of imaginary adventures. Each time he does something a new adverb is introduced (cautiously, persistently, dramatically) which serves as a great vocabulary builder. Bright pictures add to the appeal.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in second-person. Embraces the adverb as a story-telling device...until the last two spreads--my sense of balance has been destroyed!! Very Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang ending. Great art--one of my faves.

[Sarah Hyatt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute, but ending every sentence (or creating a new one) where the last word on every page is an adverb is super awkward to read aloud. I started skipping the adverbs.

Also, it's a pretty obvious knock off of If You Give A Mouse a Cookie, which takes away some of the charm.