Order the book! Amazon Barnes & Noble Bookshop
Weird Little Robots
Weird Little Robots came to me like most of my stories do: in bits and pieces. One day a friend posted a picture of a miniature robot on Facebook, and that got me thinking about Zeroids. I remember watching commercials for these weird little toy robots called Zeroids when I was ten or so.
In the commercials they zoomed around, looking like they were having the time of their lives. I’d stare at the TV and fantasize about how, if 1 owned them, I’d have them follow me around everywhere – at the mall, school, the grocery store.
They’d be like little metal puppies. After months of begging, I got two Zeroids for my birthday. I remember that new-toy smell as I opened the boxes. I was thrilled. Unfortunatcly they were lame, cheap toys, and they both broke a few hours later. Looking back on it, I now realize that what my lonely ten-year-old self really wanted was for them to be alive. Those memories of the Zeroids and the loneliness I felt as a child got me thinking about what it would be like if they really had come alive, and Weird Little Robots was born.
“[A]uthor Crimi infuses this unassuming transitional novel with compassion, humor, and a refreshing storyline in which girls organically weave a love for science into their everyday lives. Illustrations by Luyken add to the guileless sensibility. A contemplation on the magic of friendship told with sweetness, simplicity, and science.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This quirkily inventive middle grade debut by Crimi (I Am the Boss of This Chair) introduces Penny Rose, a shy 11-year-old who has made no friends in her new town…In affecting illustrations, Luyken (The Book of Mistakes) successfully captures the heroines’ likable sincerity, ingenuity, and mutual affection, as well as the robots’ spunky personalities.” —Publishers Weekly
“The author of many picture books, Crimi offers a heartfelt first novel that combines real-world problems faced by many children with magical elements. Clear, concise, and direct, the writing includes dialogue that shows the characters’ personalities while moving the story along. Each chapter includes at least one full-page illustration. Created in ink, pencil, and gouache, they portray human, robot, and animal characters expressively. An endearing chapter book.” —Booklist
“The friendship theme and connections to technology, persistence, and problem-solving will appeal to a variety of students…This would be a solid addition to an elementary library that wants to add books about STEAM or friendship.” —School Library Journal