Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Holiday Gift Guide 2014: House of Robots by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein





House of Robots
by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
Pub. Date: November 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-0316405911
Price: $13.99
Buy Link: Amazon

Description:

In this new highly-illustrated series from James Patterson, an extraordinary robot signs up for an ordinary fifth grade class... and elementary school will never be the same!

It was never easy for Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez to fit in, so he's dreading the day when his genius mom insists he bring her newest invention to school: a walking, talking robot he calls E--for "Error". Sammy's no stranger to robots--his house is full of a colorful cast of them. But this one not only thinks it's Sammy's brother... it's actually even nerdier than Sammy. Will E be Sammy's one-way ticket to Loserville? Or will he prove to the world that it's cool to be square? It's a roller-coaster ride for Sammy to discover the amazing secret E holds that could change family forever... if all goes well on the trial run!

Billy's Thoughts:

Most people know James Patterson is the author of countless bestselling mystery books, but a few may not know that he is also the author of several children books, including the recently released House of Robots, which was co-written by Chris Grabenstein. The book is similar in style with Patterson's other children book series, Middle School, I Funny and The Treasure Hunters, which this book is illustrated by Juliana Neufeld.

House of Robots centers on a young boy named Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez, who literally lives in a house full of robots. You see his mother is a genius inventor, so there are a handful of robots all over the house, including Mr. Moppenshine, Drone Malone, Hayseed and Blitzen. Sammy's dad is a creator of a ninja robot comic. His litter sister is named Maddie, who suffers from SCID that prevents her from leaving her room. 

While Sammy's life may seem already bizarre, it really gets weird when his mother makes him take her newest robot, E, to school with him. Most kids would probably be happy with showing off a robot, but not Sammy as the E makes several mistakes in school, resulting in the robot being sent home. After a few adjustments, Sammy's mother fixes E's errors and makes the robot more human-like, so of course Sammy has to take E back to school with him. Without him knowing it, E is going to change his life forever.

The authors use light-humor and fun illustrations to tell this robotic tale, but they also cleverly toss in the tough subject of bullying. The main character, Sammy, is instantly likeable, so young reader will have no trouble relating to him. Despite her health problems, Maddie is a very cheerful character. Overall, House of Robots is a charming middle-grade novel that I loved reading. It would make the perfect present for any reader this holiday season. I highly recommend it.



*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

About the Authors:

James Patterson has had more #1 bestsellers--for children--than any living writer. He is the author of the Middle School, I Funny, Treasure Hunters, and Daniel X novels, as well as House of Robots. His blockbuster fiction for adults, featuring enduring characters like Alex Cross--in addition to his many books for teens, such as the Maximum Ride series--have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. He lives in Florida.

Chris Grabenstein is a New York Times bestselling author who has also collaborated with James Patterson on the I Funny and Treasure Hunters series. He lives in New York City.

Juliana Neufeld is an award winning illustrator who has also collaborated with James Patterson on the Treasure Hunters series, and whose drawings can be found in books, on album covers and in nooks and crannies throughout the internet. She lives in Toronto. 

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