Robot in Love

It's an ordinary day until Robot, dressed in a sharp tuxedo jacket and red bow tie, falls in love on Electric Ave.: "I had never seen anyone so beautiful. She was so shiny." Spare, comiclike sequences unfold in shades of light red, pink, white, gray, and black. Building anticipation, McBeth (Stegothesaurus) doesn't initially reveal Robot's beloved--but Robot's big, oval eyes and small mouth convey the depth of his emotions as he runs into traffic and walks into a puddle while thinking about her, then nearly malfunctions while readying himself to say hello. It turns out that Robot's true love is behind glass in a department store window, and readers are sure to be amused by the duo ice skating and enjoying a romantic dinner once her identity is divulged. However, Robot's approach to courtship--standing outside her window and all but yanking the object of his affection from her store display ("She said nothing. But she didn't have to.")--could use a significant upgrade. Ages 4-8. (Dec.)

PreS-Gr 2--An adorable tale of love at first sight. The narrator, a dapper, bow-tie wearing robot, spots a striking stranger and is instantly smitten. Too shy to speak to her, the robot starts to malfunction and even has trouble entering sleep mode. Alas, the robot musters the courage and seeks out his shiny lady. Spoiler Alert: The robot's shiny love interest is a toaster, and McBeth's endpaper hearts morph into pieces of toast in illustrative perfection. The robot is an incredibly likable character. Additionally, its eyes have heart-shaped pupils when talking about his love, which add to his charm. The story itself is silly and chuckle-worthy. Big pink-laden pages contrast the black-and-silver robot, making the lively images pop. There is plenty of robot vocabulary, some of which might challenge some young readers, but the story and layout are easy to follow, and provide clues as to the robot's love interest for the keen eye. Older readers will appreciate small, humorous details, such as the robot snoring in binary code or its meeting with the toaster on Electric Avenue. VERDICT A super-fun, sweet, and fast read-aloud for fans of robots, love, and toast.--Kaitlin Malixi, Kensington Health Sciences Academy, Philadelphia