SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

April 10, 2012 by Travis Jonker

Review: Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman

April 10, 2012 by Travis Jonker   3 comments

Boy + Bot
By Ame Dyckman
Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

Alfred A. Knopf (Random House)

ISBN: 9780375867569
$16.99
Grades K-2
In Stores

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Find it at:
Schuler Books | Your Library

Oh, unlikely friendships – where would children’s literature (scratch that – any kind of literature) be without ye? Contrasting personalities always add richness to the story. Ame Dyckman takes this idea of opposites to an extreme with the delightful Boy + Bot. An unlikely friendship that definitely works.

The story begins simply:

A boy was collecting pinecones in his wagon when he met a robot.

The improbable pair quickly become friends, playing in the woods until Bot’s power is accidentally switched off. The boy, unsure of what happened, brings Bot home to revive him. No luck. When Bot eventually powers up again and finds the boy sleeping, the roles are reversed, and Bot does his best to “fix” his friend.

The book has a beautiful sense of symmetry that brings the welcome picture book element of repetition to the party without beating the reader over the head with it. Boy and Bot begin the book by playing, then the same situation is played out two times (with roles reversed), and the pair end the book playing yet again. The plot structure just feels right.

Dan Yaccarino mixes it up with his sunny gouache artwork – sometimes going for the full page illustration, other times breaking the story down into smaller panels. He has a knack for creating compositions that are simple and childlike yet can skillfully carry a story.

An efficient, effective, and entertaining tale of friendship that’s bound to be a crowd-pleaser.

Review copy from the publisher.

Read the Nerdy Book Club post written by Ame Dyckman and Dan Yaccarino.

Watch the Boy + Bot book trailer at Watch. Connect. Read.

Also reviewed by Nerdy Book Club, Crowding the Book Truck, Literary Friendships.

Filed under: Reviews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
KnopfPicture Bookreview

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

December 2022

9 Books I Loved (But Didn't Review) in 2022

by Travis Jonker

March 2022

Books on Film: I Need a New Butt!

by Travis Jonker

March 2022

Behind the Scenes Q&A: Skater Baby by Jack Noel

by Travis Jonker

March 2022

2022 Books from Caldecott Winners

by Travis Jonker

February 2022

Name That LEGO Book Cover! (#35)

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Surprise! Announcing CABOOSE

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Jump Into this Guest Post by Shadra Strickland About Her Latest Book: Jump In!

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Kiss Number 8 | Review

by Johanna

Heavy Medal

What’s Coming in 2023, A Feedback Poll, and Goodbye for Now…

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

WRITING FOR YOURSELF FIRST, a guest post by author M. K. Lobb

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

A Book 25 Years in the Making: Marla Frazee Visits The Yarn

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

6 Middle Grade & YA Novels on Repeat for Groundhog Day

Looking for a Book to Read Aloud? These Classics Made the Hall of Fame.

Three Picture Books to Celebrate Black History

24 Audiobooks To Encourage Ongoing Activism and Social Justice

4 Middle Grade & YA Nonfiction Titles to Help Heal the World

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ame Dyckman says

    April 11, 2012 at 12:08 am

    Thank you so much for the lovely post, Travis! I’m so happy you like the… oh! Some other folks want to say something, too: BOY: “Thank you, Mr. Travis!” BOT: “Thank-you-Travis-Jonker!” 🙂

    • Travis says

      April 13, 2012 at 8:09 pm

      Thanks Ame!

Trackbacks

  1. Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman and Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino | The Picture Book Review says:
    January 11, 2013 at 2:32 am

    […] https://100scopenotes.com/2012/04/10/review-boy-bot-by-ame-dyckman/ […]

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023