Robbie Packford - Alien Monster

September 1, 2004
Gr 4-6-Robbie doesn't believe that his new friend is from the planet Kerbosky until the alien's secret formula transforms Robbie into a scaly green monster with magical powers. Taken aboard a spaceship, the sixth grader learns that Jamie and Dr. Freedelhum need his help to save their planet and the universe from a robot revolution. The basic killer-robots-conquer-the-world plot has been used countless times, but Sander adds a touch of wry humor as Robbie continually tries to balance his human and monster natures. The machine armies speak standard movie robot-ese-one actually says, "It does not compute"-but the dialogue among Robbie and the aliens is natural and often quite funny. The Kerboskians' fascination with Earth pizza is particularly amusing. The cover art shows the protagonist as a rather surreal, Daliesque monster, but the black-and-white interior illustrations make him look more cuddly than terrifying. While this book doesn't compare to classic robot stories like Isaac and Janet Asimov's "Norby" series (Walker), the short text and theme may appeal to science fiction fans looking for a quick read.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.