Brother from a Box
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
One new brother—assembly required. A “page-turner filled with fun, intrigue, and suspense” (Kirkus Reviews) from the author of The Last Invisible Boy.
Matt Rambeau is officially a big brother—to a robot! When a shipping crate from France shows up at Matt’s building, the last thing he expects to find inside is an artificial, genetically-enhanced, cybernetically-integrated, bionically-modified lifeform—okay that’s only half true (because Matt’s dad is a super computer genius and interesting computer stuff is always showing up). The real last thing Matt expected to find inside is a human-looking robot that calls him “frère” (brother in French) and acts like a person (only perfect at everything). Some quick assembly, and a robot brother is born!
Like anything having to do with family, it’s a blessing and a curse. Norman is a fame hog and a showoff…plus he flirts with girls (yuck), but, hey, he’s family and Matt’s become pretty attached. Then strange things start to happen. First a computer worm causes Norman to go goes berserk, and then odd men start showing up in unusual places. Someone is trying to steal this robot. Correction: someone is trying to steal Matt’s brother!
In this zany, action-packed story with spies and skateboard and, yes, robots! acclaimed author Evan Kuhlman gets to the heart (and motherboard) of one of the most special relationships known to man (or robot): BROTHERHOOD.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Kuhlman (The Last Invisible Boy) offers up a quirky story of a boy and his robot. Twelve-year-old Matt Rambeau gets a surprise when a large crate from France arrives at his New York City apartment. Even more surprising, it contains the world's most advanced, most realistic robot, which looks just like a stereotypical French boy; Bruno pictures the robot, which Matt promptly names Norman, wearing a striped shirt and beret. It turns out that Norman is part of a project Matt's father and uncle have been working on, and now Matt gets to help Norman adjust to and blend in with society. Hijinks ensue, especially when Matt realizes dangerous people are out to steal Norman for their own nefarious ends. This mixture of action and humor is recounted in Matt's idiosyncratic narration, which is full of non sequiturs and bounces from topic to topic in chapters that range from a paragraph to several pages. Bruno's illustrations, not all seen by PW, add to the story's overall goofy charm. Ages 9 12.
