­Billie Builds a RoboCorn

PreS-Gr 2–Billie, a young girl with tan skin and short, curly brown hair, is being forced by her father to move to a different home after he gets a new job. That means she must leave her friends and everything she’s ever known behind. But “relentlessly resourceful” Billie, also a fantastic problem-solver, builds a RoboCorn. He is her best friend. He knows so much! Unfortunately, he can’t do much. So Billie and her father take ­RoboCorn to the park to make friends. That’s where Billie meets Elif. They become wondrous friends. That leaves ­Billie’s dad to take care of RoboCorn, but he’ll figure it out. This story has a lot going for it: it deals with moving, being lonely, solving issues, and making new friends. There’s so much packed into this dainty story. The text and vocabulary can be a bit erudite for average readers, with words, such as gossamer, conversationalist, and Continental ­Esperanto. The artwork is done with ink and watercolor, similar in style to the loose lines of Eliza Kinkz. The images evoke a spirit of doodling and childlike fun. There may be some color outside the lines or missing color inside them—just like a real piece of kid art.