Picture Book: Robot Zot

Author: Jon Scieszka
Illustrator: David Shannon
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (2009)
Pages: 40
Ages: 4 to 8 year olds

What do you get when you put Jon Scieszka and David Shannon together to do a picture book? One great picture book filled with humor, great art work, robots, heroes, blowing things up and of course a little love.

The reader is introduced to Robot Zot as he directs his space ship towards planet Earth. With a battle cry of “Robot Zot – never fall. Robot Zot – conquer all”, Robot Zot emerges from his ship in a suburban backyard. As our main character prepares for battle against kitchen and household appliances, readers realize that our space invader is no taller than 3 inches high. After destroying most of the kitchen appliances, Robot Zot discovers “the most amazing earth person…ever” known as the “Queen of all Earth” (a toy cell phone). For the first time, Robot Zot has a purpose to fight for. He must rescue his Queen whom he has fallen in love with.

Scieszka’s humorous text coupled with Shannon’s bold, bright illustrations makes this a fun book to read aloud to children. Young children will enjoy the repetitive phrases and robotic style of wording. They will also laugh at the antics of Robot Zot as he battles the Television and comes face to face with “Earth’s most fearsome Commander General”.

Each year for our school’s Read Across America Day (in celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday and reading to children), I search for one book that I know I will be able to read to preschoolers and sixth graders alike. Robot Zot won my heart and earned the distinction of being read in nearly every class at my school. Children and adults laughed, giggled, and chanted back the Robot Zot’s battle cry confirming for me that I had made the right choice.

If you are looking for a fun story to read to your child or in a classroom, then I highly recommend Scieszka’s and Shannon’s Robot Zot.

Share a book with a child,
-Aly