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Johnson, Mariana Ruiz

RO-BO

40 pp. | Orca | October, 2025 | Trade ISBN 9781459842267 $21.95
(2) K-3 Translated by Lawrence Schimel. In this comical and imaginative cautionary tale, originally published in Argentina, young Milo receives a present: RO-BO, a multipurpose robot with a propeller, a sweet smile, and one red-rimmed eye. Instantly smitten, Milo learns that his new toy can project video games, fly, and even teach “bad words.” Soon the boy is spending every moment with RO-BO, ­refusing to bathe and losing sleep. Johnson deftly employs ­comic-book-style panels, with dialogue in speech bubbles, to show the many activities they enjoy as well as Milo’s increasing exhaustion. When Milo’s concerned mom sends him outside, urging him to make (human) friends, he meets three children attempting to construct a cardboard spaceship. Milo joins them, and, with a little help from RO-BO, they soar into the cosmos on their DIY creation. Johnson fills each spread with colors that shimmer and shine, especially after the adventurers land on a friendly planet. She emphasizes warm tones and round shapes in her mixed-media illustrations, comforting readers even when things be-come perilous. Before they can return home, RO-BO needs recharging, but how? Kinetic energy saves the day. The clever ending includes a RO-BO instructional manual.
Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2025

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