02/02/2015
In his audiobook debut, reader Patterson (the 16-year-old-son of the James Patterson) gives a heartfelt, animated delivery and, in tandem with the authors, proves that having a robot brother is a premise that does not just entail silliness. The robot is E, and the siblings are Maddie and Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez. Much to Sammy’s chagrin, E will be accompanying him to school, which lays the groundwork for three enjoyable hours of listening hors. After E disappears without a trace, the audiobook mesmerizes due to the plot and the reader’s performance. Authors Patterson and Grabenstein provide an appealing story line, with short chapters for those with comparable attention spans, never missing an opportunity to educate their young audience on severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), hand washing, and science. The authors never dumb down their amusing and meaningful lessons about friendship, family, and feelings, and the story is charming through reader Patterson’s wonderfully brought-to-life characters. Kudos to whoever had the idea of using synthesizer-style effects on Patterson’s voice for robot E. This technique makes an already delightful listen even more entertaining, and Patterson delivers age-appropriate voices for each character, adding a cartoonish lilt to keep young listeners engaged. Ages 8–12. A Little, Brown hardcover. (Nov.)
If your kids have robots-on-the-brain (in other words, they can’t stop, won’t stop talking about and building robots) then these books are for you. They will buy you countless seconds until the next robot-related question comes at you, like, “What if I built a robot to clean my room?” But seriously, these robot-themed easy reader, […]
Ever wondered what your kiddos should read next after finishing one of James Patterson’s awesome books? Well, who better to ask than the bestselling author himself? We got the chance to pose some of our most burning questions about Patterson’s creative process and what books by other authors he recommends to his fans. His latest […]
Prolific author James Patterson created his children’s book imprint, Jimmy Patterson, with one simple objective: “We want every kid who finishes a Jimmy Book to say, ‘Please give me another book.’” And with his latest illustrated novel collaboration with Chris Grabenstein—Laugh Out Loud, which hits shelves Aug. 28—he continues to accomplish his mission to deliver […]
Fall fans: it’s finally October! There’s a chill in the air and the wind is picking up, which means it’s the perfect time for young readers to cozy up with a brand new book. Fortunately, this month we are spoiled for choice when it comes to great new reads for the 8 to 12 set; from the second novel in […]
It is a truth universally acknowledged that children love robots—and it’s a love that is so much purer and more innocent than the love that adults have for them. An adult asks about a robot, “Will it vacuum my floor, or make me coffee?” A child asks, “Will it be my friend? Can it come to school with […]