Robot, Go Bot! (Step into Reading Comic Reader)
A little girl assembles her own robot and speaks to him in short, rhyming phrases, beginning with “Bubble blow, Bot?” as she blows bubbles for him to chase, and “Throw, Bot” as they play catch. Gradually, she becomes more imperious, ordering him to hoe the garden, mow the grass, and tow her in a wagon. After Bot storms off, she leads him back and makes amends by pushing him on the backyard swing. Jennifer and Matt Holm lead off this colorful book from the Step into Reading Comic Readers series with an encouraging letter to parents, saying, “Psst . . . you’re looking at the Super Secret Weapon of Reading. It’s called comics.” While the digital illustrations may not look like traditional comic art, the story is told visually as well as in the speech balloons that carry the words. Beginning readers will appreciate the brevity of the text and the predictability of the rhyming phrases. An appealing choice for young readers and robot fans. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan