Little Robot Alone

Starred review from March 26, 2018
Little Robot has a head made from a toaster with a lightbulb stuck in it, a rotund body with riveted orange pants, and tractor treads for feet. He leads an idyllic life in a cottage by the pond, and he’s developed satisfying little rituals to fill his days, such as singing a breakfast song: “Oats with oozy oil are yummy/ slipping slowly down my tummy.” But he’s lonely. Then one day, the lightbulb literally goes off: he can make himself a friend. The resulting robot pet dog is every bit as cute as Little Robot himself; when Little Robot presses the button on the dog’s nose, it leans over and licks Little Robot “on his smooth metal cheek.” And that’s pretty much the entire narrative arc—MacLachlan and Charest (Cat Talk) don’t take their characters on an adventure or portray a moment of missed emotional signals. It shouldn’t be enough—and yet it is. Phelan’s gauzy, sunny watercolor-and-pencil drawings set a cheery, energetic mood, and ingenious Little Robot is instantly winning—surprisingly expressive, sweet but never cloying, and in service to a higher and very relatable purpose. Ages 4-7.

April 15, 2018
What do you do when you're all alone? If you're a robot, you make your own friends!Readers begin this story in a landscape fit for Kenneth Grahame, but there are no toads or badgers in sight. Instead, they meet Little Robot, a short, round little fellow that resembles the cuddly offspring of L. Frank Baum's Tik-Tok and a toaster. Little Robot is cheerful about his life and routine, so cheerful that every day he wakes up and sings a series of songs. When Little Robot has his breakfast, for instance, he croons: "Oats with oozy oil are yummy / slipping slowly down my tummy." But although his life is peaceful, he feels a little lonely. What's a robot to do? Thankfully, this robot has moxie (and a little imagination), so he decides to build himself a doggie friend. MacLachlan and Charest's text practically screams to be read aloud, and their writing is only further enhanced by Phelan's inviting watercolor illustrations. Subtle shifts in both the text and illustrations support readers: While the narration is written in black, Little Robot's songs are written in green so no one will ever miss their cue to sing. Phelan's art hints subtly at things to come, from Little Robot's dog-shaped thought bubble of inspiration to the slow development of Little Dog himself. A book to cherish for years to come. (Picture book. 4-6)

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June 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-Little Robot is content enough in his cozy house. Every morning he puts on his tracks (think bulldozer "feet"), charges his battery, and sings his cheerful breakfast song. He goes outside and takes in the birds flying over, the squirrels racing, and the fish splashing. But there's just one problem: he's lonely. Inspired by a dream, he makes a friend for himself-Little Dog, a fellow robot who, after a few tweaks, is the perfect companion. This gentle tale is just right for the set who are interested in gadgets but still like a warm friendship story. Phelan's steampunk-tinged, soft watercolors beautifully depict Little Robot's country idyll as well as show details of the workshop where Little Dog comes to life. VERDICT A great bedtime read, and one to try along with Arnold Lobel's "Frog and Toad" tales for a storytime about friendship.-Henrietta Verma, Credo Reference, Jackson Heights, NY

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2018
Preschool-G Little Robot lives alone in an idyllic setting: a white house on a green hill by a blue pond. He communes daily with the fish, the birds, and the squirrels near his home, but that simply isn't enough to assuage his loneliness. One night, he has a dream that helps him realize he might be able to remedy his situation. He acts on those thoughts the very next day and sets about making a friend, though not in the usual manner. The main character is pictured as a pleasant-looking, rotund robot with an electrical outlet in his chest?for recharging his battery?and a toaster for a head. Included within the text are rhyming couplets shown in green ink, a repeated refrain that describes Little Robot's activities. Sweet pastel illustrations, in a variety of sizes from vignettes to double-page spreads, are appealing and depict the characters' movements and emotions. Young children will be pleased with the outcome and with Little Robot's ingenuity in solving his problem.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)