Maya and the Robot
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- £5.49
Publisher Description
From award-winning author Eve L. Ewing comes an illustrated middle grade novel about a forgotten homemade robot who comes to life just when aspiring fifth-grade scientist Maya needs a friend -- and a science fair project.
Maya's nervous about fifth grade. She tries to keep calm by reminding herself she knows what to expect. But then she learns that this year won't be anything like the last. For the first time since kindergarten, her best friends Jada and MJ are placed in a different class without her, and introverted Maya has trouble making new friends.
She tries to put on a brave face since they are in fifth grade now, but Maya is nervous! Just when too much seems to be changing, she finds a robot named Ralph in the back of Mr. Mac's convenience store closet. Once she uses her science skills to get him up and running, a whole new world of connection opens up as Ralph becomes a member of her family and Maya begins to step into her power. In this touching novel, Eve L. Ewing melds together a story about community, adapting to change, and the magic of ingenuity that reminds young readers that they can always turn to their own curiosity when feeling lost.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Maya Robinson, a Black, science-loving fifth grader, is having a tough start to the school year: her two best friends, MJ and Jada, are in a different class for the first time since the group was five. Though Maya is close to her parents and younger brother, Amir, she still struggles with feeling lonely, left out, and shy at school, where she's having trouble befriending new classmates, especially bully Zoe Winters. Then Maya unearths barrel-bodied robot Ralph while helping at Mr. Mac's neighborhood store. Throwing herself into figuring out how Ralph works, Maya uses notes left by his builder, Mr. Mac's son, Christopher. Ralph can walk, talk, help with chores, and more; the robot doesn't always execute every command perfectly, however, and disaster ensues when Maya brings Ralph to the school science fair. Maya is a winning protagonist amid a warm, mostly Black cast, continually grounded and guided by her compassion, ingenuity, and curiosity. Interspersed with charming, animation-style b&w illustrations by Almeda, Ewing's tender-hearted middle grade debut wholly conveys the strength it takes to come out of one's shell, the thrill of discovery and creation, and the power of pursuing wonder. Ages 8–12.
