Tobor

Ben, a curly-haired blond boy, has four animal playmates: Elly, Raf, Tiger, and Mouse (readers will probably glean that these pals are stuffed toys that Ben brings to life in his imagination). These friends "always do exactly what Ben says. Always. It's getting a little boring." Enter Tobor, a robot that Ben gets for his fifth birthday. Tobor can do fun things like run around and tell stories, but he's also tireless, leaving Ben exhausted. Ben soon goes back to his more pliant pals, only to realize that he misses Tobor. Van Genechten's mixed-media drawings have a sweet, homey feel--Tobor resembles a cardboard box with rivets--and the story offers opportunities to think about friendships, fickleness, group dynamics, and appreciating companions' unique qualities. But the book's ideas don't really go anywhere, and the characters feel stunted. Ben never considers the feelings of his loyal animal friends, who amount to cute cyphers. Tobor makes the biggest emotional journey, evolving from his initial cheery relentlessness into someone who learns from what Ben teaches him, but it's not clear how Ben brings this about--artificial intelligence, perhaps? Ages 5-up. (Oct.)

PreS-Gr 1--In this picture book originally published in Belgium and Holland, a boy named Ben receives a robot for his fifth birthday. Unlike his stuffed animal friends, Tobor is not predictable or boring. The robot communicates, can play a variety of games, and never runs out of energy--literally and figuratively--and all this energy is almost too much for Ben. But when Ben shuts down Tobor, he soon longs for the robot's voice and begins to educate the bot. From talking quietly in bed at night to engaging in thoughtful activities, Tobor moves from the role of repetitive, energetic robot to a real friend. When Tobor crashes when trying to climb a tree, Ben is panic stricken, afraid of losing his friend. Later, when Tobor comes back online, readers will be happy but slightly concerned that Tobor might be Ben's only friend. VERDICT Young children will enjoy the bright, simple illustrations and will be equally excited to read a story about a robot whose only job is to meet their desires and follow their directions. A fun addition.--Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, CA