Boy + Bot

PreS-K—A small boy and a robot become playmates. When Bot's power switch accidentally gets turned off, his pal thinks he's sick and takes him home where he feeds him, reads him a story, and puts him to bed. When the boy's parents check on their sleeping son, they unknowingly bump the robot's switch and he turns back on. Seeing the sleeping boy, he thinks there has been a malfunction. The robot takes the boy to his home, squirts oil into the child's ear, and reads him a story. He thinks that Boy may need a new battery. When the Inventor shows up and sees what is happening, he shouts to Bot, which awakens the boy. The pals are relieved to see that each of them is in good repair. Although the two friends must part, they promise to meet again. And so they do. The gouache cartoon illustrations have bright colors and crisp lines. With its subtle humor, this one is sure to fly off the picture-book shelves, as what little boy doesn't want a robot for a friend?—Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI