Bad Bot by Pierrette Dube

Halloween is only a few days away, and I thought it'd be fun to toss in a science fiction, spooky read. No ghosts in this read, but there is an evil robot. This one comes from an author from Quebec and has been translated into English for the first time. It's also illustrated, which I'm really looking forward to (I do enjoy pictures). This one hit the shelves a week or two ago, so it's hot off the press, too.

Let's see how chilling this read gets!

BAD BOT

by Pierrette Dube

Illustrator Vigg

Translated by David Warriner

Orca Book Publishers

Middle Grade Science Fiction / Thriller

144 pages

What happens when a smart toy gets a little too smart?

Victor is thrilled to get the toy he’s always wanted for Christmas. It’s a LenBot―a smart robot that can learn anything. For once, it’s a toy that lives up to the hype. The robot really does become Victor’s best friend. But before long the robot starts learning more than Victor has taught it and acting very strangely. Victor knows LenBot is smart, but a toy robot couldn't be cruel. It can’t kill…can it?

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MY TIDBITS

Just the right amount of creepy flows into this science fiction read to create more than a few swallow-worthy moments.

Victor has been wishing for a LenBot for forever and makes sure he's such a good kid that there's no way his parents can deny it as a Christmas present. And the work was worth it. The little robot lives up to Victor's expectations and then some. Not only does it allow him to really dig into programming, but the results are so amazing that he's determined to use it as his science project. His parents aren't exactly thrilled that he's more interested in working with the robot than playing outside or visiting with friends, and they do try to steer him toward these other thoughts. But these attempts might just cause more harm than good.

Reminding a teeny-tiny bit of the movie M3GAN, this read dives into a tale about a robot, who gains intelligence and turns bad, but the author manages to keep the fear factor in the lane of solid middle grade fiction. While it is pretty clear which direction the tale will go, the tension builds and holds until the last page. There are unexpected twists and turns, which add suspense, and there's just enough surprise to churn the plot ever so slightly. It creates a gripping read to the end with creepy moments the whole way through.

The writing is well set to the middle grade audience and works well for those, who might not be super avid readers. The print is on the larger side as is the spacing. There is just enough description to keep the story going but never goes into too much detail or character depth. Action drives this one. The sentences are kept relatively short and the vocabulary slides right into the middle of the age group. It's a shorter read with basic and fitting illustrations, and very short chapters. If it wasn't for the scarier side, I'd even recommend this one for the lower end of the age group. 

As to the thriller aspect, it will bother more sensitive readers but never hits true gore or fear. It seems like it might go there, but then, doesn't. This makes it great for younger thrill and chill seekers.

And here they are...

Pierrette Dubé grew to love children’s books at the same time as her own kids did. And soon she started writing her own. She has now written more than forty picture books and several short novels. Many of her books have won awards, including the Quebec Booksellers’ Award for Children’s Literature in 2015 for La petite truie, le vélo et la lune. The English edition of the book, The Little Pig, the Bicycle, and the Moon, was a Bank Street College of Education's Best Children’s Books of the Year selection in 2019. Bad Bot is her second middle-grade horror novel. She lives in Saint-Lambert, Québec.

Vigg is a self-taught author, illustrator and sculptor. Born in Ottawa, he grew up around the world in France, Morocco, the Ivory Coast, Haiti and Switzerland. His award-winning work is published in major newspapers, such as the Washington Post and the New York Times. He has written over twenty children’s books, including the autobiographical Ma maison-tête, the original French edition of Lost Inside My Head. Recently he has developed a practice in sculpture to explore the third dimension of his graphic universe. He lives and works in the village of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu in Québec.

David Warriner grew up in the UK and escaped to Quebec right after graduating from Oxford. A professional translator for two decades, David nurtures a healthy passion for Quebec fiction and has translated a range of fiction, nonfiction and children’s fiction titles by Quebec authors for British and Canadian publishers. He lives in Penticton, British Columbia.