Wall- E

Gr 3—6—This graphic novel addition to the world of WALL•E is true to the spirit of the beloved movie but still somewhat flawed. The book takes place before events in the film, at a time when the robot and his pals are working to clean up the mess humans left behind while also sneaking in a little fun when they can. Unfortunately, a supervisor robot is always there to keep them in line. Enter Andy, an astronaut who returns to Earth only to find his family and everyone else gone. Working together, WALL•E and Andy defeat the bullying boss and get Andy back into space to look for his family. One significant problem here is that WALL•E and all of the other cleaner robots are virtually identical; it's hard to feel for the main character if you can't tell who he is. Also, the story moves at a brisk clip, so fast in fact that it creates narrative confusion. Still, this book will find an audience due to the solid artwork and WALL•E's lovable nature.—Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH