Rafa Was My Robot

PreS-Gr 1—This well-intentioned but misguided picture book tackles the difficult topic of the death of a loved one. Jacob builds a robot, whom he names Rafa, out of "scraps and a whole lot of love." The two become fast friends, attending school and swimming lessons together, as well as traveling the Earth and beyond. When Rafa doesn't feel well, the doctor tells Jacob that one of the robot's batteries is losing power. The boy travels the world seeking a replacement battery, but none can be found, and the robot dies. Jacob buries Rafa in the backyard and makes a pillow with the robot's likeness to help him remember his friend. Pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations, filled with colorful details, highlight this tale intended to help children deal with grief over losing someone close. However, the book has several flaws. It doesn't depict many scenes of Jacob bonding with his dying friend: while he is busy seeking the needed power source, Rafa becomes sicker and weaker by himself, expiring moments after the boy's return. One of the last sentences offers a bewildering time line: "And every night before going to sleep he whispered to his pillow, 'If I don't meet you today, then I'll meet you tonight. In my dreams.'" Since Rafa is deceased and it's already "tonight," how Jacob expects to see his companion "today" is mystifying. More confusing than comforting.—Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI