My little guy is all about the robots these days. Also Star Wars, but that was my stupid move in introducing him to R2D2, who was apparently some sort of gateway drug into a galaxy far far away, but that’s another saga. Today, we’re back to the robots. Got a little artificial intelligence nerd of your own? Read on…
Clink
by Kelly DiPucchio and Matthew Myers
Balzer & Bray
ISBN: 978 0 06 192928 1
On first reading, I felt a little “meh” about this one, but I read it again, because i wanted to see if I was willing to put it on my guy’s shelf and be forced to read it over and over, and found myself a little charmed. (Clearly, a lesson about not judging on first blush!) This is a story about a robot who is passed over time and again for shinier, more useful, cooler robots, until the right little boy comes along. It’s sort of a Corduroy for the mechanically inclined, and I love a good friendship story, especially with the “imperfect can be just perfect” twist. I also love the retro robot thing, and this tin toy fits that aesthetic nicely, too, so in the end, I am quite ready to read this a hundred times, and surprised that I didn’t love it right away.
Hurray for the reread!
My Little Blue Robot
by Stephen T. Johnson
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 978 1 442 45416 3
This book is far more than just a book – it is filled with parts that you can use to assemble a little robot buddy of your own! It’s a toy and a story at once, and a great way to spend an hour or two with your kid, because yes, they will need your help. The end result is a cool-looking, retro sort of robot, and reasonably sturdy enough to hold up to a little bit of play, if your kid is not too rough and tumble a sort. This makes for a great gift activity, too – we got ours for Christmas!