Though the girl and her bot started their journeys separately and in silence, by the end, music and friends surround them. It’s Hatke’s skill in communicating the narrative and emotional complexities through visual cues that makes this such a strong offering. Changes in font size, punctuation, and position play just as large a role in comprehension as body language and composition. Like the characters in the movie Wall-E, these robots have a limited range of facial expressions, so they “speak” and emote in sound effects. With her trusty wrench in hand, she repairs parts, builds traps, and fixes hearts. It is up to this resourceful girl to save him from the bad bots of the factory. Both love playing together, but when the robot wants to leave, things go downhill.

Each day they explore the junkyard and the surrounding forest, with the little girl acting as a guide to new sights and concepts. When a brown-skinned cherubic girl chances upon a robot that looks like a trashcan, she finds a friend worth protecting. Once again Hatke delivers a delightful graphic novel with a positive female role-model, fun non-humans, and a message of friendship.

While the story is mostly wordless and encourages visual literacy, each robot has its own distinct and expressive vocabulary ( “ZOM!” “Xox?” “MOORP!”), making this an equally fun choice for reading aloud or independent reading.

But the artwork also strikes a darker note when needed the retrieval bot, scuttling through terrain like a tank-sized spider, is convincingly menacing, especially when the layouts’ panels grow to accommodate his monstrous size. The girl and her robot friend have toddler-like proportions: her limbs are as short and round as drumsticks, and he’s all head and torso. Humor and whimsy infuse Hatke’s illustrations.The curly-haired, brown-skinned protagonist is admirably resourceful, finding creative and surprising ways to outsmart her friend’s pursuer.As scenes cuts back and forth, readers will enjoy the mounting suspense. The story becomes a fast-paced adventure after a gargantuan retrieval bot is sent in pursuit of the eponymous little robot.

But the two are also brave and willing to put aside hurt feelings when the other is in danger.

Both the girl and the robot are spirited but sensitive, a combination that creates conflict early on.

Ben Hatke is alert to the pleasures-and the complexities-of new friendship.

Books by ben hatke