Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
It's a dream come true when a huge red robot lands in a boy's backyard. That elation sours when the boy discovers that the robot can't fly to the moon or swim to the ocean floor. "All you do is 'beep, beep, beep' like a toy," the boy grouses. A more meaningful friendship emerges, however, when the robot demonstrates its considerable construction talents by helping the boy build a certifiably super treehouse. Debut author Brown has a strong sense of color and composition, a powerful stylus line, and a thoughtful aesthetic that will be familiar to fans of his Web site, explodingdog.com. The boy, a sticklike figure with huge eyes and a gaping mouth, is all raw emotion and energy, while the robot, which is made up of several red boxes, offers a more grounded sense of the world. Brown can't resist imparting a lesson to readers, but he has a light touch, and the message is a good one: when you value others for who they are, rather than who you want them to be, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Ages 3-5. Agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 1-With each passing jet or shooting star, a young boy wishes that it were a robot, coming to land in his backyard. One night, a large, red robot begins beeping outside his window. Immediately the boy wants to travel to space or explore the oceans, but the machine cannot do either of these things. It merely repeats its "beep beep." Disgusted, the boy claims the robot isn't real at all and probably can't even help him finish his tree house. But it does, and the boy learns that perceptions can change. While it might have limitations, this robot can become a true friend. Brown's geometric style of artwork offers a childlike interpretation of the objects in the text. The boy, an exaggerated stick figure, lives in a minimal rectangular house with simple pines in the background and five-pointed, misshapen stars in the sky. Colors are vivid, and the text appears handwritten, perpetuating the primary-grade sketchbook quality of the illustrations. While this picture book might be appealing at first, it lacks the charm to sustain multiple readings.-Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools, OH (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A boy, who wishes for nothing more than a robot, finally gets one. Though it cannot fly to the moon or swim to the ocean floor, it can help him build a tree house and be his friend. A lesson about managing expectations prevails over plot, but bold, childlike illustrations with stick figures and graphic fonts make it palatable. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A little boy, endearingly rendered as a stick figure, wishes for a robot to land in his backyard. Well, what kid wouldn't, even if the kid didn't have a head the shape and brightness of a full moon, a postage stamp for a body, sticks for limbs and a goofy smile a yard long? Every time he sees a jet in the sky or a shooting star, he hopes it is bringing him a robot, "going beep, beep, beep' as he takes me on an adventure." One appears, of course, adding more cubic yardage to the boy's smile. The robot is physically impressive--gargantuan in that robotic way, painted a red so saturated it feels wet--but short on the grand-adventure front. He can't fly or swim, though he can go "beep," and he can help the little moonhead build his treehouse. Together, they hammer and paint, and the robot is strong, holding up support beams as well as his new friend--wherein lies the point: You don't have to be with a superhero to have a magical time. Brown sends the message easily, not hammering it home like one of the treehouse's boards but allowing it to be organic to the story. And his artwork, with its chalky lines brokenly etched in the planes of big color, calls up that sense of surprise. A smart take on the strangeness of friendship. (Picture book. 3-5)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
