Billie Builds a RoboCorn

PreS-Gr 2–Billie 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. Robocorn 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 so much 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 downside is that 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 mad loose lines of Eliza Kinkz. The images evoke a spirit of doodling and childlike fun. There may be some color outside the line or missing color inside them—just like a real piece of art.