Robot Dreams
I’ve really been enjoying a lot of the books coming from First Second Comics, and when I stopped by their booth at Comic-Con, Gina (the rep) told me that Robot Dreams
It’s almost a wordless book—there are sound effects and signs, but the characters don’t actually speak. A dog orders a robot in the mail and assembles it, and they have a lot of fun together until they go to the beach and the robot rusts and is unable to move. From there, the plotline splits, showing the dog’s attempts to make new friends as the robot lies on the beach, dreaming. The artwork is simple but incredibly expressive, and the story is full of whimsy and unexpectedly sad moments. Really, the book is not just for kids, who may not appreciate all the subtleties, but there’s nothing inappropriate and my own kids (ages 6 and 3) both enjoy it. You can read an excerpt to get a taste of it.
Wired: Adorable artwork says so much with so few words.
Tired: You wouldn’t think a cute little story about a robot and a dog would make you reach for the Kleenex…
