The Robot and the Bluebird - Hardcover

Lucas, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374363307 ISBN 13: 9780374363307

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2008

Synopsis

"Let me carry you," said the Robot.

"I'll carry you in my heart, and shelter you from the cold and storms."

High atop a pile of rubbish sits a lonely Robot with a broken heart. Then one winter's day, a Bluebird appears, fighting against the freezing wind. When the Robot offers her a home in the empty space where his heart used to be, neither of them can predict what astonishing things will happen. Together the newfound friends set off on a memorable journey that will change them both.

This fable-like tale, bursting with bright, winsome illustrations, is a fresh take on the timeless themes of friendship and second chances.

About this title

About the Author

DAVID LUCAS studied illustration at the Royal College of Art in London, England. He has written and illustrated several picture books, including Halibut Jackson, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. He lives in London.

Reviews

PreSchool-Grade 3—"There once was a Robot with a broken heart," begins this metaphorical story that's likely to appeal more to adults than to children. The other robots cannot fix him, so he ends up on the junk heap. A tired, shivering Bluebird (of happiness, perhaps?) comes along, prompting the Robot to shelter her and carry her South, until he breaks down. Respecting the Robot's dying request, the Bluebird makes a nest in his heart, "And the Robot stands there still…home every year to singing birds." Lucas's complex, fantastical illustrations are full of little details that will attract readers' attention. The Robot's home and junk heap are satisfyingly mechanical and futuristic-looking, and the passage of time is effectively portrayed through a series of four panels of the Robot in day, night, rain, and snow. The layout sustains interest through variety, including insets, full-bleed spreads, and the varying use of panels. Lucas uses color effectively to reflect the protagonist's emotions, with black and whites giving way to color washes after the bird's arrival. The economical text reads smoothly. Unfortunately, the message is heavy-handed and unlikely to speak to children. The lovely illustrations notwithstanding, most libraries can pass.—Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
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When Robot’s heart is broken and cannot be fixed, he is sent to the scrap heap with other junked machines. He tries talking to the machines, but they don’t answer him. The haunting line “My heart was broken, you know” highlights the difference between a damaged part and an emotional hurt. He feels like rubbish until a bluebird lands on him, and he offers her refuge. Given a new lease on life by his singing friend, he further aids her by transporting her to a warm place in the sun, but after the long journey, Robot’s strength is spent. In the end, not only does Bluebird make a home for herself in Robot’s heart but other birds perch on his outstretched arms as well. Colorful, folk-art birds on the endpapers draw readers in to this fairy-tale-like story. Whimsical illustrations, chock-full of interesting angular images and junkyard scenes, counter the almost-too-sweet nature of the story. The clear message of the joys and sacrifices of enduring friendship is reminiscent of Sara Varon’s Robot Dreams (2007). Grades K-3. --Patricia Austin

Edition details

• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0374363307
• ISBN 13: 9780374363307
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Lucas David