about the book
One day while collecting pine cones in the forest, a Boy comes across something he has never seen before—a rocket shaped red sort of thingy with legs. Of course, the Boy has no idea that it is a Robot. When he asks it if it wants to play, it says “Affirmative,” and the two are soon having all sorts of fun together.
Unfortunately, while rolling down a grassy hill, Bot accidentally bumps a rock and his switch is knocked to OFF. When Bot doesn’t move or speak, Boy decides Bot must be sick. He rushes his new friend home to take care of him. Boy tries feeding Bot apple sauce, reads Bot a bedtime story, and tucks the pointy-headed Bot into bed.
During the night, the boy’s parents tip-toe in to check on their son and accidentally hit Bot’s switch to ON. Now functioning perfectly, Bot discovers Boy in bed and thinks his new friend has malfunctioned!
Bot takes Boy back to his forest laboratory to fix the problem. First he squirts oil into Boy’s ear, then Bot reads to Boy from the instruction manual, and finally he brings Boy a new battery. Luckily, the Bot’s inventor arrives and clears up the confusion.
Boy and Bot are so different. Can they possibly remain friends?
You bet they do!
about the author
If you are looking for author Ame Dyckman in a crowd, you won’t have trouble picking her out. Ame is the one with the pixie-cut mint green hair and a voice bigger than most, the one who starts a lot of sentences with “HEY, EVERYBODY!” Most of what she says is hilarious.
Ame writes picture books for children and books for those who have had a really tough day and need a giggle. She also enjoys hoola-hooping and randomly putting coins in people’s elapsed parking meters. She lives in New Jersey with her family and their menagerie of pets, which includes a demanding squirrel named Willie
Ame has always been a big reader. While in fourth grade, she read the entire series, CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, in one marathon weekend. Her favorite authors in childhood are still her favorites today—Sendak, Dahl, Blume, and Cleary!
Ame says the hardest part of writing happens around 3:00 a.m. when she has a “THIS ISN’T ANY GOOD!” moment. Then she screams a lot at her computer. Writing has also taught her patience—and to not chew on her pencils. She accidentally ate her eraser once, and the aftercare was not covered by her health insurance!
Her favorite moment as a writer? When two kids recognized her in a book store and walked up to her robot style, peeping “Affirmative, Affirmative!” The whole store ended up roaring in laughter. “It doesn’t get better than that”.
Sources:
Author website
Author interview : Mr. Schu Reads
Author interview : Examiner.com
Author interview : The Styling Librarian
Also by Ame Dyckman:
Tea Party Rules. Viking Juvenile. 2013.
about the illustrator
Dan Yaccarino grew up in a Montclair, New Jersey, home that didn’t have any children’s books. His influences were comic books, toys, old films, advertisements, package designs, and vintage animations.
Dan now lives in a three-story apartment in New York City with his wife and two children. The top floor is his studio, which is filled with vintage toys just like his childhood bedroom was. The only thing missing is his mom offering grilled cheese sandwiches and Tang!
Without taking a single writing or children’s book class, Dan wrote and illustrated his first book. He starts a book from a single image. Sometimes he does the illustrations first, sometimes he writes the entire book first.
Just as he can’t read just one book at a time (usually reads three or four at a time), Dan also juggles six to ten projects at a time. He writes and illustrates picture and chapter books.
In addition, Dan also creates children’s toys, games, and other products, and produces animated television programs and films.
Source:
Illustrator website
Illustrator blog
Also by Dan Yaccarino:
All the Way to America : The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel. Knopf Books for Young Readers. 2011.
Lawn to Lawn. Knopf Books For Young Readers. 2010.
Go, Go, America. Harperfestival. 2008.
Every Friday. Henry Holt. 2007.
The Birthday Fish. Henry Holt. 2005.
Dan Yaccarino’s Mother Goose. Golden Books/Childrens. 2003.
Unlovable. Henry Holt. 2001.
read more!
Doug Unplugged by Dan Yaccarino
Doug, a robot child, spends his days plugged into the mother-board, downloading information while his automaton parents are off working. While learning about his urban area, he notices a pigeon on his window sill and decides to unplug and go exploring. The big city s much more amazing than his downloads. He even meets a human boy and together they have all sorts of unquantifiable fun!
Randy Riley’s Really Big Hit by Chris Van Dusen
Randy Riley is a young astronomy and astrophysics geek who really loves baseball— but he stinks at the game. When he spots a massive fireball hurtling toward Earth, no one will listen to him so he does what a geek’s gotta’ do…he builds his own giant robot. But can he get it done in time to save the planet?
Tea Party Rules by Ame Dyckman
When a bear cub sneaks into a backyard tea party and tries to steal the cookies, he pretends to be a stuffed bear when the little girl catches him. But she is no fool, and soon insists that even a toy bear must be clean, wear a pink tutu, and eat daintily. Who will break first—the bossy little girl or the very frustrated, hungry little bear cub?