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Boy + Bot
Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Picture Books (2012)One day, a boy and a robot meet in the woods. They play. They have fun.
But when Bot gets switched off, Boy thinks he's sick. The usual remedies—applesauce, reading a story—don't help, so Boy tucks the sick Bot in, then falls asleep.
Bot is worried when he powers on and finds his friend powered off. He takes Boy home with him and tries all his remedies: oil, reading an instruction manual. Nothing revives the malfunctioning Boy! Can the Inventor help fix him?
Using the perfect blend of sweetness and humor, this story of an adorable duo will win the hearts of the very youngest readers.
But when Bot gets switched off, Boy thinks he's sick. The usual remedies—applesauce, reading a story—don't help, so Boy tucks the sick Bot in, then falls asleep.
Bot is worried when he powers on and finds his friend powered off. He takes Boy home with him and tries all his remedies: oil, reading an instruction manual. Nothing revives the malfunctioning Boy! Can the Inventor help fix him?
Using the perfect blend of sweetness and humor, this story of an adorable duo will win the hearts of the very youngest readers.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 10, 2012
40 people are currently reading
2,537 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 859 reviews
March 1, 2013
My 6 and a half year old son's review:
"Funny. I liked it when the bot put oil in his ear. (Laughs). I also liked the applesauce on bot's face. It has good details and organization. And it has a funny voice. And I liked it when the boy tucked the bot into bed. I liked the good coloring that goes with the words. And the author has good writing. The pictures were written good too."
My review: I concur with my son. I will also point out that the Inventor's role is also important. Parents will appreciate his contribution to the story.
"Funny. I liked it when the bot put oil in his ear. (Laughs). I also liked the applesauce on bot's face. It has good details and organization. And it has a funny voice. And I liked it when the boy tucked the bot into bed. I liked the good coloring that goes with the words. And the author has good writing. The pictures were written good too."
My review: I concur with my son. I will also point out that the Inventor's role is also important. Parents will appreciate his contribution to the story.
January 15, 2013
While perhaps not a personal favorite, I think this is a book that children, little boys especially, will really enjoy. It's a great story about friendship (especially friendship with someone that is "different" than you are) and I love the way the boy and bot tried to understand one another and help one another (even if their basis for understanding was very much rooted in what their own experiences had been and if the "help" wasn't always necessarily quite what was needed). Sweet ending. Fun illustrations, too.
March 23, 2012
My five year old has been carrying this book around the house for hours.
August 4, 2019
A little boy meets a robot in the woods and the two enjoy a day of games together in this sweet picture-book from author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Dan Yaccarino. But when Bot's power switch is flipped off, Boy imagines that his unresponsiveness indicates that he is unwell, and he tries to help him as he would if the robot were human. Bot, in the meantime, becomes concerned when his power is turned back on, and he finds Boy asleep. Becoming convinced that Boy is malfunctioning, he attempts to repair him as he would a fellow robot. Luckily his inventor intervenes, and all ends happily, as Boy and Bot realize that they are different kinds of creatures, but can be friends nevertheless...
Boy + Bot was Ame Dyckman's picture-book debut, although it is the fourth title from her that I have read. I found it quite charming, with a heartwarming tale of two very different friends who must learn about and accept one another's differences, and fun illustrations done in colorful gouache. Robots seem very popular right now in the picture-book world, and Dyckman's story takes the childhood fascination with these mechanical men and uses it to highlight the role of friendship in bringing together people with very different backgrounds and outlooks. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories featuring robots, as well as to fans of Yaccarino's colorful art.
Boy + Bot was Ame Dyckman's picture-book debut, although it is the fourth title from her that I have read. I found it quite charming, with a heartwarming tale of two very different friends who must learn about and accept one another's differences, and fun illustrations done in colorful gouache. Robots seem very popular right now in the picture-book world, and Dyckman's story takes the childhood fascination with these mechanical men and uses it to highlight the role of friendship in bringing together people with very different backgrounds and outlooks. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories featuring robots, as well as to fans of Yaccarino's colorful art.
March 29, 2021
Featured in a grandma reads session.
Super short and quick, this is a cute look at new friends from different points of view. When we are called upon to remedy problems, this little book reminds us that our solutions come from our own experiences and are essentially limited thereby unless we can be open-minded and look beyond; and that not all solutions will work in all situations.
A clear concept, well-drawn and illustrated. Everyone from youngest to eldest caught on and chuckled.
I love to hear when they "get it."
Super short and quick, this is a cute look at new friends from different points of view. When we are called upon to remedy problems, this little book reminds us that our solutions come from our own experiences and are essentially limited thereby unless we can be open-minded and look beyond; and that not all solutions will work in all situations.
A clear concept, well-drawn and illustrated. Everyone from youngest to eldest caught on and chuckled.
I love to hear when they "get it."
September 29, 2012
The epitome of what we might call THE One Book/Four Hands book for an approach to reading and reading aloud with younger readers. Ame's book is too much fun to miss as part of your 2012 reading year.
We'll be pairing this one up with John Steinbeck's OF MICE AND MEN this fall to talk about the individuals who make up a symbiotic relationship or friendship. We will extend the conversation to talk about how each attempts to meet the perceived "needs" of the other and how this might help or hinder the individual within the relationship. BOY + BOT puts this out there in such a simple manner, that I want my Room 407 Readers to see how it works at the picture book level before we take it to the ranch.
My hands-down favorite scene from BOY + BOT is when the friends share and post their drawings of one another toward the end. Oh. . .a boy voice? A robot voice? A professor's voice? You know this one has Mr. Hankins's read-aloud stamp all over it.
And that professor. . .we'll let's just say that we have big plans for him when we talk about Slim from John Steinbeck's classic. Really. . .isn't it Slim who provides the voice of reason and discernment in the work? Think about it. . .
Picture books. . .classics in their own right. . .paired up purposefully with classics, which should paint a larger picture when they are done right, create a natural symbiotic relationship between the texts bringing the reader in via image and imagery.
We'll be pairing this one up with John Steinbeck's OF MICE AND MEN this fall to talk about the individuals who make up a symbiotic relationship or friendship. We will extend the conversation to talk about how each attempts to meet the perceived "needs" of the other and how this might help or hinder the individual within the relationship. BOY + BOT puts this out there in such a simple manner, that I want my Room 407 Readers to see how it works at the picture book level before we take it to the ranch.
My hands-down favorite scene from BOY + BOT is when the friends share and post their drawings of one another toward the end. Oh. . .a boy voice? A robot voice? A professor's voice? You know this one has Mr. Hankins's read-aloud stamp all over it.
And that professor. . .we'll let's just say that we have big plans for him when we talk about Slim from John Steinbeck's classic. Really. . .isn't it Slim who provides the voice of reason and discernment in the work? Think about it. . .
Picture books. . .classics in their own right. . .paired up purposefully with classics, which should paint a larger picture when they are done right, create a natural symbiotic relationship between the texts bringing the reader in via image and imagery.
November 27, 2013
A solid level 1 reading book for all ages, it's a cute story about a boy and his friend the robot. When natural things happen, each think something is wrong with the other and try to fix it. Bright colorful pictures will entrance kids of all ages.
June 25, 2018
Boy and Robot find common ground and friendship. Cute story, love the illustrations. I especially liked the juxtaposition of Robot power switch : Boy sleep time and how they tried to take care of each other.
eBook, borrowed from my public library via Overdrive
eBook, borrowed from my public library via Overdrive
January 6, 2014
My husband read this book to my son and me tonight. It was a cute story of a boy who finds a robot. They learn about the fragility of each other. We enjoyed it!
August 11, 2016
Fun book I will shelve beside The Wild Robot. Made us think about different perspectives/points of view/backgrounds
April 28, 2019
Well, that was incredibly innocuous. Well, except for Haha! NBD!
March 26, 2017
The story begins when two unlikely characters meet in the woods while gathering pine cones, a boy and a robot. As the boy and the robot make friends the robot's power button is accidentally gets switched off while playing, the boy was worried and thought the robot was sick. He tried to get the robot to eat, he read him a story and tucked him in bed then went to sleep. As the boys parents poked their heads in to check on him they hit the robot's power button and turned him back on, as he peered down at the boy sleeping the robot thought the boy had malfunctioned. The robot gave him oil and read the boy an instruction manual, just as the robot was about to change the boy's battery the robots inventor told him that he was a boy. I enjoyed this book because of the special friendship between the boy and the robot and the colorful illustrations in the book.
The theme of the book is friendship and understanding, Friendship because the boy wants the robot to play with him and as they play together they eventually become friends. Another theme of the book is understanding because the boy had to figure out how the robot functioned and the robot had to figure out how the boy lives. The style of this book is written to mirror the actions of the two characters, when the robot’s power switch is off the boy tries to make the robot feel better by feeding him, reading to him, and putting him to bed. When the robot finds the boy sleeping he tries to give him oil, read a manual, and change his battery, they are both trying to help each other. The tone is curious, since neither the boy or the robot knows how the other works they both want to do what they can to make the other feel better so they can play.
One of the reasons I like this book is the colorful illustrations, The pictures placed on each page are in a cut out style with no frame. The illustrations are placed against a white background, the edges are jagged and not always defined especially when the white of the picture is set against the white background. On a few of the pages in the book there are two or more illustrations on a page, they are set similar to comic book pages like a border less panel box. When the pages contain this setup the text is either written under the individual panel box or on the bottom of the page. The genre of the book Boy + Bot is science fiction, the world that the boy lived in contained robots. It is not typical in this world to see robots walking around who want to make friends with children, at least not yet.
The theme of the book is friendship and understanding, Friendship because the boy wants the robot to play with him and as they play together they eventually become friends. Another theme of the book is understanding because the boy had to figure out how the robot functioned and the robot had to figure out how the boy lives. The style of this book is written to mirror the actions of the two characters, when the robot’s power switch is off the boy tries to make the robot feel better by feeding him, reading to him, and putting him to bed. When the robot finds the boy sleeping he tries to give him oil, read a manual, and change his battery, they are both trying to help each other. The tone is curious, since neither the boy or the robot knows how the other works they both want to do what they can to make the other feel better so they can play.
One of the reasons I like this book is the colorful illustrations, The pictures placed on each page are in a cut out style with no frame. The illustrations are placed against a white background, the edges are jagged and not always defined especially when the white of the picture is set against the white background. On a few of the pages in the book there are two or more illustrations on a page, they are set similar to comic book pages like a border less panel box. When the pages contain this setup the text is either written under the individual panel box or on the bottom of the page. The genre of the book Boy + Bot is science fiction, the world that the boy lived in contained robots. It is not typical in this world to see robots walking around who want to make friends with children, at least not yet.
March 25, 2013
This story of misunderstandings didn't do much other than present the two misunderstandings and solve them. Sometimes I worry that formulaic stories seem a bit too mathematical and formulaic. The parallel misunderstandings in this story are very similar to the one in . But even before that it reminded me of , where for some reason the misunderstandings were more electric. Blueberries is one of my all time favorites, and this one didn't give me even close to the same experience.
The story is so spare, it makes me think of more of a preschool book than a primary grades book. The pacing, illustration, and design are all interesting to look at and have the slick style we expect from Yaccarino, including the animator's sensibility for storyboarding and design he brings from his work with the Oswald project. No designer credit suggests Yaccarino took the lead on graphic design.
As far as themes go, as soon as I read the misunderstandings about switches and sleep I was reminded of , where the idea of being switched off was the same as being executed. Then I was reminded of the anthropology and ethnography I've read on how ancient cultures perceived sleep as being very similar to being dead (I think there are passages about this in Frazer's Golden Bough--where the people had all kinds of rules and taboos about what you do and don't do to a sleeping person at the risk of their soul or life), and at that moment this story seemed very poignant. But the pictures did nothing to carry forward any idea that either the boy or robot was very disturbed, just that they went through the regular motions to help someone who is 'sick'. When I think of the deep emotion I experienced with , Boy + Bot was far, far away by comparison.
The story is so spare, it makes me think of more of a preschool book than a primary grades book. The pacing, illustration, and design are all interesting to look at and have the slick style we expect from Yaccarino, including the animator's sensibility for storyboarding and design he brings from his work with the Oswald project. No designer credit suggests Yaccarino took the lead on graphic design.
As far as themes go, as soon as I read the misunderstandings about switches and sleep I was reminded of , where the idea of being switched off was the same as being executed. Then I was reminded of the anthropology and ethnography I've read on how ancient cultures perceived sleep as being very similar to being dead (I think there are passages about this in Frazer's Golden Bough--where the people had all kinds of rules and taboos about what you do and don't do to a sleeping person at the risk of their soul or life), and at that moment this story seemed very poignant. But the pictures did nothing to carry forward any idea that either the boy or robot was very disturbed, just that they went through the regular motions to help someone who is 'sick'. When I think of the deep emotion I experienced with , Boy + Bot was far, far away by comparison.
September 18, 2012
In Boy and Bot, Ame Dyckman’s sweet and playful tale, with deceptively simple gouache illustrations by Dan Yaccarino, a nameless boy is collecting pine cones in his red wagon when he meets a robot. "Want to play?" the boy asks, to which the robot, quite naturally, replies, "Affirmative!"
Boy and robot, who looks like the Tin Man crossed with a squat red rocket ship, gambol about outside until the robot mysteriously stops functioning. Unable to revive the bot, the boy brings him home to offer him care. Later, when the boy goes to bed, the robot (easily revived, it turns out, with the flip of a switch) is shocked to find the boy now malfunctioning (asleep).
The trouble, of course, is a failure in communication, perhaps inevitable, between man and machine. But this is easily remedied, and the two friends reconvene for further play dates. Boy affixes a drawing of Bot to the refrigerator; Bot sticks a picture of Boy on his torso. Boy sips chocolate milk from a straw; Bot chugs oil from the nozzle of a can. It’s a perfectly adorable, age-appropriate friendship. And it’s simply impossible to imagine a 4-year-old boy not wanting to be friends with this book.
Boy and robot, who looks like the Tin Man crossed with a squat red rocket ship, gambol about outside until the robot mysteriously stops functioning. Unable to revive the bot, the boy brings him home to offer him care. Later, when the boy goes to bed, the robot (easily revived, it turns out, with the flip of a switch) is shocked to find the boy now malfunctioning (asleep).
The trouble, of course, is a failure in communication, perhaps inevitable, between man and machine. But this is easily remedied, and the two friends reconvene for further play dates. Boy affixes a drawing of Bot to the refrigerator; Bot sticks a picture of Boy on his torso. Boy sips chocolate milk from a straw; Bot chugs oil from the nozzle of a can. It’s a perfectly adorable, age-appropriate friendship. And it’s simply impossible to imagine a 4-year-old boy not wanting to be friends with this book.
December 20, 2012
There are always gaps in a library collection. Sometimes they're ones you can't fill and won't ever be able to fill--like the mom who wants a book to explain to her 2 year old why his au pair is leaving or one that is about vacuums.
But one thing that has always been frustrating is the dearth of books on certain topics. Take robots. Aside from crappy commercial "Star Wars" books for kids (something that really bothers me on many levels)there hasn't been much.
But suddenly, there are some terrific little books out there AND there are even books with different age appeal. Recently we've had and , and now we have this gem which is short enough to be read to a just-past-toddler 2 year old, but will also appeal to an older preschool sibling. Robot books, we have them!
But one thing that has always been frustrating is the dearth of books on certain topics. Take robots. Aside from crappy commercial "Star Wars" books for kids (something that really bothers me on many levels)there hasn't been much.
But suddenly, there are some terrific little books out there AND there are even books with different age appeal. Recently we've had and , and now we have this gem which is short enough to be read to a just-past-toddler 2 year old, but will also appeal to an older preschool sibling. Robot books, we have them!
May 15, 2017
Dyckman and Yaccarino work together to create a story about friendship between an unlikely pair. Moreover, the bright simplistic images draw attention to the various ways the friends play (e.g. collecting pinecones, skipping rocks, and walking on logs) and take care of each other (e.g. feeding, reading stories, and putting to sleep). The reasons behind the two friends taking care of each other is sweet enough for one to seek out the story.
April 14, 2013
It's been a winter of our discontent trying to replace then learn 4 new electronic devices. So, I could really get into a plot that hinges on unknowingly turning off a friendly robot. Totally believable! There was also something intriguing about the idea of a boy encountering a robot in the mountainous forest leading me to just accept upfront the first sentence of "A boy was gathering pinecones in his wagon when he met a robot." I credit the straightforward yet colorful illustrations for making me comfortable with the setting and events. I shared the book with my Forest Service son and he, too, thought the mountain setting made perfect sense. He especially enjoyed the robot pouring oil in the boy's ear trying to revive him, and the size of the robot changing in accordance with how the boy was interacting with him. Combine all this with the way the plot moves quickly along and you have a book that would hold the squirmiest boy in storytime in rapt attention.
February 7, 2017
I read Boy Plus Bot for the science fiction book. This is a very cute story about a boy and a robot who become friends and have a little trouble trying to figure out their differences. One day they roll down a hill and the hill shuts off the robot but the boy thinks the robot his ill so he takes him home and tries to feed him, read him a story, tucks him into bed, and then when the parents check on the boy, the door pushes his button again and he turns back on and then while the boy is sleeping the robot thinks that the boy is ill. Then the robot takes him back to his home and tries to fix him by giving him oil, reading him an instruction manual, and almost tries to replace the boys battery when the Inventor walks in and stops him. This story would be a great story for preschool age boys! I love the pictures and the simplicity of the words used and that they're just a boy and a bot and an inventor.
April 17, 2013
This is cute and made me laugh. I loved seeing how Boy and Bot each tried to take care of the other. (Oil--hee hee hee!) I think this could work in a preschool storytime. Would be fun to try a robot voice--I don't think I've done that, yet. And I think the kids will catch some of the sillyness and enjoy that.
5/9/12 This was a good opener as it was a fast, simple story that was OK if the late-comers missed the beginning. It was a smaller group than I've been having, and though they are kids that are involved and respond to me, they usually do so quietly. They caught the sillyness, but they smile quietly. I've only heard these kids laugh loudly in an E&P book (who could blame them). So I'm still counting this as a success.
4/17/13 So happy this is a Beehive nominee. I think the school-age kids will love it.
5/9/12 This was a good opener as it was a fast, simple story that was OK if the late-comers missed the beginning. It was a smaller group than I've been having, and though they are kids that are involved and respond to me, they usually do so quietly. They caught the sillyness, but they smile quietly. I've only heard these kids laugh loudly in an E&P book (who could blame them). So I'm still counting this as a success.
4/17/13 So happy this is a Beehive nominee. I think the school-age kids will love it.
January 28, 2015
This book is primary level book intended for independent reading.
I choose this book because the 4th grade student's interest inventory stated that he like history, technology, and video games. While it is simplistic in nature this story might also prompt the student to make comparisons to the sophistication of current technology that he and many of his peers encounter on a daily basis. It might also tap into his creativity to look at the personification of technology and what he might do if his iPad suddenly wanted to play.
What would you do if the characters from your video game were suddenly alive? Could you plan out a full day's worth of activities? What would you do and where would you go? Read Boy + Bot to find out what one boy does when he meets a robot.
I choose this book because the 4th grade student's interest inventory stated that he like history, technology, and video games. While it is simplistic in nature this story might also prompt the student to make comparisons to the sophistication of current technology that he and many of his peers encounter on a daily basis. It might also tap into his creativity to look at the personification of technology and what he might do if his iPad suddenly wanted to play.
What would you do if the characters from your video game were suddenly alive? Could you plan out a full day's worth of activities? What would you do and where would you go? Read Boy + Bot to find out what one boy does when he meets a robot.
May 26, 2020
Boy and Bot by Ame Dyckman is a sweet story for young readers that I found on a blog called Picturebooksinelt. A boy and a robot meet in the woods. They begin to play and the Bot gets switched off. The Boy thinks he's sick and tries to help the Bot. After trying different ways to help Bot, the boy goes to bed. The Boy’s parents accidentally turn on Bot who finds his friend “powered off� The Bot takes the Boy home with him and tries to fix him. In the end, Bot’s inventor comes in to save the day. This story is very simple and clever. It would be great for a read-aloud or think aloud with a prediction lesson for Pre-K to Kindergarten.
November 30, 2016
Adorable! I LOVE Robots so this book was a must read. I enjoyed the story and the relationship between the boy and the robot. The way they both try to "fix" each other when they can't seem to wake each other up was funny as well as sweet.
April 13, 2017
This is very cute and good for a robot-obsessed kid. The illustrations are nicely done. My kiddo seemed sort of bored by it,though. It doesn't quite have the same humor as Dyckman's other books that we've read.
Notes on representation: The boy and his family all appear to be white.
Notes on representation: The boy and his family all appear to be white.
November 23, 2016
This such a charming and creative little story, but it would be nice if there were just a little more to it.
October 25, 2020
The bot read the boy an instruction manual! After my technical writer's heart.
May 21, 2019
Boy and Bot by Ame Dyckman is a cute story about friendship between a boy and a robot. The boy and Bot play together and enjoy each other’s company. While playing, the Bot’s power turns off. The boy, thinking Bot is sick, gives him applesauce and reads him a story to help him feel better. When the boy is sleeping, Bot’s powers turn on again! But now, he thinks the boy has his powers off! The robot tries fixing him with oil and reading a manual. Finally, the inventor saves the boy. The boy and Bot are happy to be with each other again and agree to play together the next day.
This story will be highly engaging for Kindergarten students. Students will love reading the story about a boy and a robot. They will love the humor and the friendship between them. Students will understand important messages from this story: to never give up on your friends and it is okay to be friends with someone who is different than you. The illustrations, color, and light are carefully designed to intensify moments and character’s feelings in the story. This science-fiction picture book would be a perfect read aloud in a Kindergarten classroom. Children would also enjoy creating their own writing and drawing about what they would do if they were friends with a robot.
This story will be highly engaging for Kindergarten students. Students will love reading the story about a boy and a robot. They will love the humor and the friendship between them. Students will understand important messages from this story: to never give up on your friends and it is okay to be friends with someone who is different than you. The illustrations, color, and light are carefully designed to intensify moments and character’s feelings in the story. This science-fiction picture book would be a perfect read aloud in a Kindergarten classroom. Children would also enjoy creating their own writing and drawing about what they would do if they were friends with a robot.
October 24, 2024
Boy + Bot is a story of a young boy and his new robot friend. The two friends play together until Bot accidentally gets switched off, and then Boy does everything he knows to do to make Bot better. At night, Boy falls asleep and Bot is accidentally switched back on and Bot gets concerned about Boy and takes him to his home to do everything he knows how to do to make Bot better. This story shows friendship and compassion in a comedic, silly way.
This book is a wonderful way to teach about friendship. These two friends are not the same in a lot of ways, yet they still are great friends and treat each other the best way they know how. Many children would also probably just enjoy this book as a storytime book because it is funny and entertaining.
This book is a wonderful way to teach about friendship. These two friends are not the same in a lot of ways, yet they still are great friends and treat each other the best way they know how. Many children would also probably just enjoy this book as a storytime book because it is funny and entertaining.
May 6, 2018
Oneof our classmates recommended his book. I enjoyed this book from front to back. The pictures are bright and inviting. The robots colormakes you want to know what is going to happen. The color of the trees and background images look realistic in color. The boy wanted to take care of the robot. It is human nayure to fix and care for things, but the robot wanted to fix the boy. Does robots have feelings? This book is great for first and second graders.
May 2, 2019
Meh.
September 8, 2024
This book was so cute! I loved their concern when the other “slept� and I loved their friendship. It was simple and cute.
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