My Robots: The Robotic Genius of Lady Regina Bonquers III

Gr 3–5—In this heavily illustrated chapter book, Olander invites readers to create their own theory, purely conspiratorial or based on the evidence provided, of the mysterious disappearance of fantastical Scottish robotic genius Lady Regina Bonquers III. The preface sets the stage for this participatory adventure that explores the borderline between fact and fiction. Evidence, notes, diagrams, drawings, advertisements, letters, replies, reviews, and whatnot, all taped and tacked to the pages facsimile-style, describe-in tandem with the text-the eccentric career of the robot maker, sometimes questionably, other times ironically. Each chapter chronicles one of Lady Bonquers's robots, from inspiration to internal workings, and many with colossal commercial downfalls. The bots range from the idiosyncratic odor-detecting Odoro 1 to the sardonic Replicant bot, which can attend undesirable classes and family functions for people by using "hundreds of tiny, synchronized projectors [displaying] images from inside the 'skin,' thus creating a reasonable lifelike substitute." Others are altruistic in nature, such as the environmental cleaner robot and the firefighting robot. Highlighted accessories such as the "plucker" of the firefighting robot, "a large gentle hand that could pluck animals and humans out of hazardous situations," are tongue-in-cheek, yet rendered scientifically. The page borders and headings are steampunk in style with flourishes created not by ink, but by washers, gears, and screw heads. This title will appeal to the subset of kids who enjoy DIY tinkering, creative problem-solving, programming, scientific jargon, and wry humor. It's Borges for kids.—Sara Lissa Paulson, The American Sign Language and English Lower School, New York City