Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Ben, a curly-haired blond boy, has four animal playmates: Elly, Raf, Tiger, and Mouse (readers will probably glean that these pals are stuffed toys that Ben brings to life in his imagination). These friends "always do exactly what Ben says. Always. It's getting a little boring." Enter Tobor, a robot that Ben gets for his fifth birthday. Tobor can do fun things like run around and tell stories, but he's also tireless, leaving Ben exhausted. Ben soon goes back to his more pliant pals, only to realize that he misses Tobor. Van Genechten's mixed-media drawings have a sweet, homey feel-Tobor resembles a cardboard box with rivets-and the story offers opportunities to think about friendships, fickleness, group dynamics, and appreciating companions' unique qualities. But the book's ideas don't really go anywhere, and the characters feel stunted. Ben never considers the feelings of his loyal animal friends, who amount to cute cyphers. Tobor makes the biggest emotional journey, evolving from his initial cheery relentlessness into someone who learns from what Ben teaches him, but it's not clear how Ben brings this about-artificial intelligence, perhaps? Ages 5-up. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-In this picture book originally published in Belgium and Holland, a boy named Ben receives a robot for his fifth birthday. Unlike his stuffed animal friends, Tobor is not predictable or boring. The robot communicates, can play a variety of games, and never runs out of energy-literally and figuratively-and all this energy is almost too much for Ben. But when Ben shuts down Tobor, he soon longs for the robot's voice and begins to educate the bot. From talking quietly in bed at night to engaging in thoughtful activities, Tobor moves from the role of repetitive, energetic robot to a real friend. When Tobor crashes when trying to climb a tree, Ben is panic stricken, afraid of losing his friend. Later, when Tobor comes back online, readers will be happy but slightly concerned that Tobor might be Ben's only friend. VERDICT Young children will enjoy the bright, simple illustrations and will be equally excited to read a story about a robot whose only job is to meet their desires and follow their directions. A fun addition.-Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, CA © 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 Kirkus Book Review
A new toy robot brings new fun to a child accustomed to playing with his stuffed animals. In this Belgian import, Ben, a white boy with blond curls, has four favorite stuffed animal friends, depicted as sentient beings who actively play with him. Their happy life together changes when Daddy (who isn't pictured in the story) gifts Ben a talking toy robot named Tobor. The animals and Ben all seem apprehensive about the newcomer, who ends up monopolizing Ben's attention and taking him away from his four stuffed animals and wearing him out with lots of new games and activities. Ultimately, this proves overwhelming to Ben, and he turns the robot's power off and happily returns to his old friends. In a case of distance making the heart grow fonder, Ben ends up missing Tobor and decides to press its nose to turn it back on again. This time, Ben teaches Tobor new games and successfully includes his stuffed animal friends in their fun, too, creating a more enjoyable and balanced time for all. The cheery palette of the cartoon-style illustrations keeps the tone of the story light as Ben navigates his dynamic with his playmates. It's refreshing to see a story that successfully incorporates technology into analog play rather than demonizing one or the other. A new-toy story for readers to befriend. (Picture book. 3-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
