Robot in Love

It’s an ordinary day until Robot, dressed in a sharp tuxedo jacket and red bow tie, falls in love on Electric Ave.: “I had never seen anyone so beautiful. She was so shiny.” Spare, comiclike sequences unfold in shades of light red, pink, white, gray, and black. Building anticipation, McBeth (Stegothesaurus) doesn’t initially reveal Robot’s beloved—but Robot’s big, oval eyes and small mouth convey the depth of his emotions as he runs into traffic and walks into a puddle while thinking about her, then nearly malfunctions while readying himself to say hello. It turns out that Robot’s true love is behind glass in a department store window, and readers are sure to be amused by the duo ice skating and enjoying a romantic dinner once her identity is divulged. However, Robot’s approach to courtship—standing outside her window and all but yanking the object of his affection from her store display (“She said nothing. But she didn’t have to.”)—could use a significant upgrade. Ages 4–8. [em](Dec.) [/em]