Kuhlman,
Evan. Brother
From A Box. Simon & Schuster/Atheneum 304p
$16.99 978-1-4424-2658-0 elem/ms E-BNe Science fiction
Matthew Rambeau knows that his father
and uncle are great inventors, but imagine his surprise when he gets a new
robot-brother in a box from France!
Family healing, espionage and humorous encounters blend to produce a
hilariously creative book! Norman the robot is
comical and endearing as he attempts to fit into Matthew’s family and school
life. Needless to say, upon Norman’s
arrival, Matthew’s life changes. There
are two
conflicts that must be resolved for Norman to peacefully coexist in the U. S.
with Matthew and his family. First, some family healing
must take place. Mrs. Rambeau lost her
first child Lucien soon after delivery and initially rejects Norman because he
looks exactly like her deceased son. Next,
Uncle Jean-Pierre of France and Matthew’s dad of New York City designed the
robot, but Jean-Pierre’s girlfriend Veronique actually built him. She is disgruntled because they won’t go
public with their invention, and she leaves Jean-Pierre.
Espionage in the form of an attempt to
steal Norman greatly adds to the excitement!
In addition to a perfectly developed plot, the comic element cannot be
ignored! Children will love this
book! Norman’s antics include abilities
that are ever more amazing to Matthew as each one is revealed! Kuhlman has invented a character that every
child in the world will want, and that is no easy feat! Whereas forty years ago, this book would have been
classified as science fiction, now its premise is believable, and in the near
future, attainable! What Kuhlman did
that is futuristic is to create a robot that can think and problem-solve for
himself, and with each new situation that arises, Norman wins over everyone
around him.
This book is an excellent choice for
both elementary and middle-school readers. Kuhlman’s
writing style is sublimely creative!
Robots–Fiction, Science fiction -- Martha
Squaresky
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