Sci-Fi & Scary

book that is all about George Gearing and the town of Terabyte Heights, and it’s obviously filled with robots. It’s got tons of action, a dash of mystery, and just a little bit of danger to keep things interesting.

C.J. Richards does a great job with The Junkyard Bot. The story has an appeal that seems ageless. When I was reading it, it was easy to forget that I was reading a kids book. It’s obviously very simply written, and things are put in simple and easy to understand terms. However, the fact that an author can work within those restrictions and still deliver a read to entertain an adult is something he deserves recognition for. (Though, to be fair, I do acknowledge I like children’s books a good bit more than your average adult.)

George is something of a prodigy in Junkyard Bot. He’s the little boy that all the senior citizens around depend upon to fix their less-than-perfect robots when they glitch. When he’s given the right tools and pieces, he manages to do something that no one has ever successfully done before. He tinkers constantly, and it is clear his mind operates on a level that not many do.

Goro Fujita’s rendition of George brings to mind another messy haired, glasses wearing little boy we all know and love. He’s even an orphan living with his grumpy uncle and manages to pull off something no one else has. Fujita does a good job bringing certain sections of the story to life. His illustrations aren’t eye-catching or outstanding, but they do add a little something special to the book.

The Robots Rule series has its own website (RobotsRule.com). It’s pretty simple, but younger kids might enjoy spending a few minutes on there. They can do things like design their own Junkyard Bot or create a bookmark they can print out.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable start to a middle-grade science fiction series, and I’ll definitely be picking up the next one in the series. I love my local library for the kids’ books selections!