Review by Booklist Review
In a message-driven episode set on Robot-Earth, news of an upcoming class trip to Olde Silicon Valley afflicts young robot 3.141592653 (etc)--also, properly known as "Pi"--with a flurry of scary, discouraging Zaps. Fortunately, when Pi admits the problem to their Parental Units, Mother-Board and Father-Board trundle them off to see Dr. Bleep Bloop, who explains that Zaps can happen to anyone ("Big or small. Windows or Mac."), and updates Pi's software with "new skills and coping mechanisms" in time for the outing. Readers of a carbon-based sort can learn more about those skills, and anxiety issues in general, from the authors' closing note and the trio of online resources they supply. Even before the end, though, most will have no trouble identifying the thinly masked topic, or relating to it as they chuckle over the googly-eyed retro cast and roboticized world depicted in the cartoon illustrations. Consider this book a cleverly programmed alternative to less disguised, if more nuanced, problem solvers like Spelman's When I Feel Worried (2013) or Henkes' classic Wemberly Worried (2000).
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young robot experiences the system malfunctions associated with anxiety. Pi is a young robot who loves all the usual things young robots on Robot-Earth enjoy: sipping DW-40, spending time with their Parental Units and friends, and playing music. Unfortunately, their imagination kicks into overdrive when their teacher announces an upcoming field trip to Olde Silicon Valley, and their excitement turns into a case of the dreaded Zaps. Feeling afraid, overheating, and running on low batteries, Pi tries and fails to carry on as usual until they crash. A hard drive--to--hard drive conversation with Mother-Board and Father-Board prompts a trip to the doctor for some advice, which helps Pi on their field trip and beyond. With their expressive blue and yellow face, Pi is a charming young protagonist who provides a welcome introduction to the normality of the Zaps--or nerves--along with some coping mechanisms and words to boot up a conversation with friends or caretakers. While many of the puns, real-world references, and computer terms may be lost on a young audience, the story and accompanying backmatter--a note from the authors on coping with anxiety and a list of resources--will be helpful add-ons to any system update. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A solid selection to spark up a dialogue on anxiety. (Picture book. 5-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
