Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this cumulative, rhythmic tale, a growing group of endearingly oddball characters tries to put together a robot; for every action, there is an equally evocative noise. "The Eager Beaver pulled the lever," writes Robinson (Odd Socks), "the Wicked Witch flicked the switch, the Bear in a blazer fired the laser, and the Robot went... 'Zap! Click! Bang! Boooo." Their efforts don't come together until the narrator, a girl in blonde pigtails, shows up with a big windup key and a take-charge attitude. Under her confident management, the robot fully animates, thanks everyone, and walks into the sunset, giving a final twist to the title and refrain. Ruzzier's (This Is Not a Picture Book!) watercolor-and-ink scenes have a winsome silliness, although the actual assemblage of the robot isn't as easy to track as the text. But it's easy to forgive these moments because the cast is so delightfully unpredictable (such as the King of Dogs, wearing a crown of bones), and because of the almost parental pride that emanates from this motley crew. Ages 4-7. Author's agent: James Catchpole, Catchpole Agency. Illustrator's agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Nosy Fox looks in a box and starts off a chain of repeated attempts to rebuild a disassembled robot. As new characters are introduced, they add new parts, but the robot still sputters and fails to function. Finally, "Me," a young blonde girl, appears with the key and cranks the robot to life, and off it goes. The text is playful and creative and a great way to introduce challenging vocabulary and the concept of rhyming words (eager beaver pulls a lever, blue gnu twists a screw). The repetition is reminiscent of that of "The House That Jack Built." The story is a mouthful but fun to read aloud. Ruzzier's illustrations are exciting and enticing. VERDICT An excellent selection for any collection, especially those with fans of robots and noisy interactive stories.-Kaitlin Malixi, Bucks County Free Library, Doylestown, PA © Copyright 2017. 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
This cumulative tale begins with a winsome little fox carrying a clumsily taped-up box containing, it turns out, a round-eyed robots head with a spring uncoiling from the top and a variety of wires and extra parts. The Nosy Fox looked in the box, and the Robot went A page-turn reveals the answer: BOOOO. Next, the Eager Beaver pulled the lever, and the Robot went BANG! BOOOO. By storys end, a Wicked Witch, Bear in a Blazer, Crocodile, and others have flicked a switch, fired a laser, turned a dial, etc.--causing the robot to make a new sound each time, but thats all. Its not until a little pigtailed girl comes along and uses the key she found (KRANK! KRRRANK!) that the Robot actually speaks. The mechanical situation is ingeniously matched with pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations featuring a goofy, friendly cast of characters in a quaint, fairy-tale setting that stands in comical contrast to the high-tech topic. Preschoolers will love shouting out all the sounds, and a partly poignant, partly funny ending provides opportunities for discussion. susan dove lempke (c) Copyright 2017. 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
Teamwork + trial and error = a happy robot and an ear-splitting racket. A curious fox starts the proceedings when it looks in a box and a robot head inside says, "Boooo." In cumulative fashion, the Nosy Fox's tinkering sets off a chain of events in which it is emulated by other creatures, such as a Wicked Witch who "flicked a switch," a Crocodile who "turned the dial," and a Blue Gnu who "twisted the screw." With each modification the robot emits wilder and wackier sounds. Adults reading to large groups will get great mileage out of this uniquely mechanical medley, which cumulates on verso following each interaction: "Clang! Flash! Tippa-tappa! Ooh! Zap! Click! Bang! Boooo." Finally nothing works, until a small white child arrives, armed with a skate key. The kid quickly takes charge, instructs the others what to do, and after a cacophony of clinking and clanking, a grateful, tearful robot takes its leave. Gentle rhymes add a great deal of pleasure to the reading, and most scan beautifully, though some American readers may stumble over "the Eager Beaver pulled the lever." The conclusion too is not free from confusion. Was this reconstruction the point all along or a happy end product of these creatures' collective curiosity? Ruzzier's art, given free rein, offers no answers but enlivens the fiasco, unapologetically ratcheting up the chaos. Satisfying robot high jinks. (Picture book. 4-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
