Doug unplugged!

Dan Yaccarino

Book - 2013

Doug the robot discovers that cities are much more than downloaded facts when he unplugs from the computer feed and explores one first-hand.

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Subjects
Genres
Picture books
Published
New York : Alfred A. Knopf 2013.
Language
English
Main Author
Dan Yaccarino (-)
Edition
1st ed
Physical Description
unpaged : ill
ISBN
9780375866432
Contents unavailable.
Review by New York Times Review

WHEN it comes to picking children's books, I am a lot like those old ladies you see in Upper West Side supermarkets, tapping, squeezing and smelling the melons on display: "Is it ripe, dear?" Bringing a children's book into your home is not something to take lightly. An obliging parent may be asked to read it a hundred times. Nay, a thousand times. The big-eyed sheep that seemed so cute while you were flipping through pages in the store soon begins to vex. Over time, reading the book becomes like ripping off a Band-Aid. Even small defects - an irritating drawing, the misuse of the word "presently," a character who speaks in rhyme - can form blisters on the parental soul. No, darling, not again. Let's pick another book, please. I've seen the best minds of my generation destroyed by the 38 th reading of "Knuffle Bunny Too." It is fitting, then, that the theme of these four books under review is the difficulty of making new friends - at least ones you would want to stick around - and the way they can materialize in unexpected places. The pick of the litter has to be Dan Yaccarino's "Doug Unplugged." I was already acquainted with the author from his excellent work in "Every Friday," a charming tale of a father and son who journey to the local diner for their regular breakfast. His illustration style can roughly be described as Art Deco meets "Mad Men": fedoras, solid shapes, bold lines. But Yaccarino isn't trendy or simplistic. He's especially good at slipping in the small, nourishing details that are savored upon repeated readings (thank Heaven for those). In "Doug Unplugged," a robot boy is left for the day by his robot parents. Rather than let him go to school, his parents plug him into a database where he can download all the information he needs. "They love their little robot and want him to be the smartest robot ever," we learn. The plug, of course, goes directly into his bellybutton. But one day, Doug decides to unplug. Powered by jetpack, he roams the city, where he learns firsthand about scaring pigeons, smelly trash cans and the darkness of manholes. He also meets a human boy at the playground. ("Then Doug came across something that wasn't in any of his downloads") It's a sweet tale, and true to the anti-technology, analog strain that runs through much of Yaccarino's work. Apparently, all the world cannot be comprehended in a Google search. And, as Doug learns, "there were all sorts of different ways to play." I should probably disclose at this point that I am the father of two boys, and this book is about a boy robot I suspect parents of girls will find much to cherish in You Byun's "Dream Friends." It reminded me of the classic "Goodnight Moon," with its haunting, twilight-inflected color scheme. A girl named Melody plays with a giant cat in her dreams, which gives her the confidence to approach girls in real life. That plot description sounds straightforward, but this book could easily be billed as My First Acid Trip. In a good way! The drawings in this picture book debut enchant and enthrall and linger in the mind. Did you catch my mistake? Yes, it's the classic one of applying adult logic to a children's book. I imagine most kids won't give the fantasia of "Dream Friends" a second thought. Why wouldn't a girl romp with an enormous cat in the night? Why wouldn't fish fly in formation through a moonlit sky? Remember, we are dealing with people who believe in Santa Claus. This brings me to an aspect of children's literature that, despite my wariness, always wins my affection: books that recall some truth about childhood we are apt to have forgotten. "The Black Rabbit," by Philippa Leathers, another first-time author and illustrator, builds upon the indisputable fact that - remember? - children are obsessed with their shadows. A rabbit is followed everywhere by a mysterious black creature, even into the deep, dark wood. It is there (spoiler alert!) the shadow saves the bunny from a vicious, hungry wolf who is also kind of cute. How this pertains to making new friends, I have no idea (eliminating enemies?), but it is a truth universally acknowledged that shadows are awesome. Equally awesome is Bigfoot, though presenting an adorable Bigfoot smacks of overkill, like deep-fried Snickers bars. Scott Magoon' s "Boy Who Cried Bigfoot!" can be forgiven this transgression, however. True, his Bigfoot is hairy and irresistible. I also found his overall style to be strongly, appealingly Brooklyn-antiquarian - perhaps because the boy in the book rides a classic roadster bicycle that 20-somethings would love to be seen pedaling to their C.S.A. pickup. The pleasing optics, however, play second fiddle to the book's midpoint Shyamalan-esque twist: The story is actually told from the perspective of Bigfoot. At this revelation, a pleasing pop of delight emerged from my 4-year-old test audience. Again and again. I was O.K. with that. With the right book in your hands, rereading is a pleasure. Until you pass out. Michael Agger is the culture editor of The New Yorker online.

Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [February 3, 2013]
Review by Booklist Review

Yaccarino's gentle humor, whimsy, and panache is on full display in this picture book celebrating the difference between virtual and real-life learning. Young Doug is a robot who is plugged in by his parents every morning so that he can absorb as many facts as possible. Happy downloading, his dad calls as he heads to work, leaving Doug to learn all about cities. What looks like it might be a tale of parental pressure on young students instead turns into a cheerful story of discovery. Doug has no sooner downloaded vital statistics about pigeons when he sees a live one on the windowsill. Bot follows bird, and the fun begins. Yaccarino's illustrations are deceptively simple in their generous use of primary colors and bold lines; they invest the story with tangible vibrancy. The expression of sheer joy as Doug, all wide-mouthed enthusiasm, scatters a flock of pigeons or plays with a new friend is enough to convince any reader that unscripted learning is still the most satisfying way to plug into the world around us.--Dean, Kara Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Doug, a robot child who's a cross between Elroy Jetson and Rolie Polie Olie, plugs a cable into his belly button to process information. Marching out the door with their briefcases, his automaton parents wish him "Happy downloading!" Against a motherboard backdrop, readers see Doug accessing numerical data about his urban area ("There are 8,175,133.5 people living in the city"), until he notices an actual pigeon on his high-rise windowsill. A red jet-pack strapped to his back, Doug detaches from his electronic tether to join the pigeons and human crowds outside ("Doug knew that skyscrapers had strong steel frames.... But he was amazed by the view from the top of one! He could see everything!"). Ponder-ing how a seesaw works, Doug meets a human boy who asks, "Want to play?" This "wasn't in any of his downloads," and Doug learns about unquantifiable fun. Yaccarino's (All the Way to America) streamline-smooth illustrations-bright blocks of color defined by swooping black lines-conjure a playful contemporary environment; without preaching, he comments smartly on children's screen time and the necessity of outdoor play and exploration. Ages 5-9. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 3-Doug is a young robot. Every day his parents plug him in and he downloads information about the world around him. On the day he is supposed to be learning about the city, Doug finds himself drawn out of his apartment and into the world he has been studying. He unplugs and discovers there's a lot more out there than facts and figures-life is a much richer experience when you add in sights, sounds, smells, and even a new friend. This enjoyable story by Dan Yaccarino (Knopf, 2013) has been crafted into a fun video with bouncy background music. Yaccarino's illustrations are a delight to examine up close, and Chris Patton reads the story in a rich, enthusiastic voice that nicely captures Doug's thrill in experiencing new things. Careful viewers will note that many of the facts Doug downloaded at the beginning of the book are echoed and amplified in his adventure. This is a gently sweet story with robots-sure to attract young boys. It's a fun way to take a new look at the world and to gain a greater appreciation of the difference between knowledge and application.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review

Curious about a pigeon on his window sill, Doug, a smart little robot boy, unplugs himself from downloading facts to go out and explore the city; he meets a real little boy and learns about play and the value of real experiences. Though some elements of the story are contrived, both the stylish, retro-looking illustrations and the enduring message are nicely understated. (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A little robot boy goes on an urban adventure. Each morning, Doug's parents plug him in so that he can download lots of facts and become "the smartest robot ever." On the second spread, Doug sits atop a stool, plugged into a computer that looks like ENIAC, with the goal of learning all about the city. He waves goodbye to his parents as they walk off the verso, briefcases in hand, presumably headed off to work. The next page opening has the appearance of a circuit board or retro video game screen, with a tiny picture of plugged-in Doug in the upper-left corner. The spread is designed like a map through everything he is to learn that day, complete with a yellow line highlighting his planned path to various points, with facts about taxis, fountains, skyscrapers, pigeons and so on. When Doug sees a real pigeon on his windowsill, he decides to unplug and venture out to learn about the city in person. He encounters everything from the screen, but the best part of his adventure comes when he befriends a boy in the park. They play together until the boy realizes he doesn't know where his parents are, and then Doug helps reunite them--only to decide he wants to go home, following the classic home-away-home story arc. Yaccarino's retro palette and style suit this robot tale to a T. A lively, colorful celebration of unmediated living. (Picture book. 3-5)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.