Hello, Robots! by Bob Staake

From the Publisher

Meet the robots. . . .
Blink's the one who cooks our meals.
Zinc can fix things made of steel.
Blip, he keeps our yard so green.
Zip, he simply loves to clean.

Blink, Zinc, Blip, and Zip are very busy robots. From the kitchen to the living room, from the garage to the garden, nothing can stop this industrious bunch. Except . . . rain! After they get caught in a sudden downpour, the robots' circuits are all crossed. Blink bakes a birdhouse. Zinc repairs a pot of stew. Blip rakes the windows. Zip dusts the lemon tree. Can anything be done to set these robots straight? Bob Staake's bold, graphic art style is perfectly suited to the futuristic subjects of his clever, humorous story.

Sharon Oliver - Children's Literature

This dazzling picture book is a little light on plot, but the energetic illustrations and appealing rhymes are sure to make it a pre-school favorite. In the land of every housewife's dream, we are introduced to four robots: Blink does the cooking, Zinc fixes things, Blip is the gardener and Zip, "he simply loves to clean." Life is easy in the robot household until they are caught in a rainstorm while outside having tea. Unfortunately, "When it comes to robot brains, nothing's worse for them than rain." The robots begin to exhibit some strange behavior; Blink cooks a clock, Zinc repairs some stew, Blip plants a wood TV and Zip dusts off a tree. Happily, the robots are able to remedy their personality snafu by switching heads and all returns to normal. The computer-enhanced illustrations are the standout feature of this title. Bright, colorful and humorous drawings are combined with the occasional photograph to produce illustrations that are very appealing to children while causing the occasional adult smile. For instance, one kitchen scene has a photograph of some Fiesta ware dishes tucked above a cabinet and Zip's furniture polish is labeled, "Dust Say No." For kids obsessed with robots this is a winner for sure, but the appeal extends to all pre-school and kindergarten-aged children. 2004, Viking, Ages 3 to 6.

Kirkus Reviews

Blink, Zinc, Blip, and Zip comprise an unusual household of brightly colored robots in this charming rhyme. Each has his own special skill that makes him happy: cooking, repair, gardening, or cleaning. The robots grin through several pages of their daily tasks, framed by the refrain, "Hello, robots! Metal robots! Smiling bolt to bolt." A rainstorm fries their robot brains, and suddenly the four can't do their jobs correctly-the apple pie gets repaired, and the television gets planted. How best to fix the mix-up? Why, swapping robot heads, of course! After the switcheroo, the robots-now wearing one another's contrasting-colored heads-can once again keep a lovely home, until they settle down for a tasty-looking afternoon tea. Chock-full of funny visual details (such as the pie baked on a backyard grill), with a thumping rhythm that makes this an excellent read-aloud. (Picture book. 3-7)

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