The Saddest Little Robot // FIRST EDITION //

Gage, Brian

ISBN 10: 1932360050 / ISBN 13: 9781932360059

Published by Red Rattle Book/Radiation Press, Brooklyn, NY, 2003

About this Item

STATED FIRST Edition on copyright page, NOT the later '04 edition. A MINT/FLAWLESS volume in same condition UNclipped dust jacket. Glossy pictorial book boards mirror jacket. FABULOUS story and art. Otoshi is a multi-award winning illustrator. A True FIRST/FIRST Edition - Hard to find as such. Mylar protected dust jacket.

Seller Inventory # 003075

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Saddest Little Robot // FIRST EDITION //
• Publisher: Red Rattle Book/Radiation Press, Brooklyn, NY
• Publication Date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1932360050
• ISBN 13: 9781932360059
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Kathryn Otoshi
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: New
• Dust Jacket Condition: New
• Seller catalogs:
  • Illustrated
  • Science Fiction/Fantasy
  • Children's/Young Adult

About this title

Synopsis

Snoot is a Drudgebot, and a confused one at that. He can’t figure out why the Halobots, who run Dome City, get some much extra light (all robots need light to survive). He thinks so much about this he gets easily distracted and is consequently the least productive of all robots. He is also oddly shaped and the others make fun of him. Curious about what exists in the awful darkness outside the Dome, he ventures forth and discovers that all it not as it seems. Snoot vows to restore equality to Dome City. With guile, cunning, and good old-fashioned courage, Snoot, aided by some special friends, returns to Dome City to free the Drudgebots.
In both story and illustration, The Saddest Little Robot evokes and utilizes the styles of sci-fi books and films, manga, movie posters, comics and animated films. It encourages readers to look beyond what lies on the surface, to discover for themselves that things are not always as they seem; most important of all it shows them that they are strong enough to decide to do something about it. As Snoot does. And the saddest little robot becomes very happy indeed.

Reviews

Grade 4-6-Readers expecting the kind of gentle science fiction implied by the title and cover art will be surprised by this rather dark fantasy. Smoot is a Drudgebot, the lowest of the cylinder workers in Dome City. While his fellow Drudges are content to perform their computations, serve the Life Light, and listen to the wisdom beamed to them each day from Father Screen, Smoot asks questions. Why do the Halobots and the Guardbots do less work and receive more light rations than the underlings? Where are the legendary Makerbots? But curiosity is not encouraged in robot society, and Smoot finds himself exiled into the perilous outside. There he meets the last of the Makerbots, who tells the little Drudge that he has a special role to play in restoring liberty for the Dome dwellers. Smoot is a heroic character, facing Guardbots, the mad robot-eating Gremborgs, and the insane Father Screen with courage and cleverness. However, the other characters show little depth. The episodic plot contains a patchwork of elements from every filmic and literary future dystopia from Fritz Lang's Metropolis to George Orwell's 1984. The writing style is uneven, veering from overly whimsical to downright grim. There are many better science-fiction choices available.
Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
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