Summary & Evaluation: In this wordless graphic novel, a dog assembles a robot friend (brought to him by the postman in a box) and, after sharing some quality bonding time with him, carelessly allows his new robot friend to take a dip in the ocean during a trip to the beach. After sunning themselves, the dog realizes that his robot friend is rusted to the point of immobility and decides to leave the robot on the beach while he goes back home. The story then follows the two characters: the robot left naked to the elements and the meanness of strangers, ultimately being repaired by a raccoon and given a new lease on life; and the dog drifting from one friendship to the next, finally purchasing a new kit robot and acting more responsible towards it than the last.
This one was a really quick read but had me coming back for a second, and even third, read-through. While some wordless graphic novels allow for the reader to make up their own story, Robot Dreams tells the story in a much more direct way, so there's not much ability for the reader to construct a story--but that doesn't detract from the book at all. It's a really great tale, heavy on the morals but subtle in its telling. The dog's got big problems, he can't treat his robot friend right and it haunts him in his relationships until he builds another robot and treats it right. While that's going on the discarded robot, after visiting a series of dream-states while immobile under a blanket of snow, experiences the harsh realities of the world (being ripped apart for spare parts, sold to a scrap yard) but is reborn when he is discovered by the raccoon who rebuilds him. It's a great tale for young adults struggling through the crappy friendships that can take place during middle and high school and can serve to soothe the injured soul or teach the trespasser.
Booktalk Hook: I think I'd have to booktalk this with other graphic novels or other books about friendship because, while this book has a lot to teach, it's a really quick read. With that in mind, I'd give a quick rundown of the plot, possibly after starting with the question of whether anyone's felt like they were mistreated (or were the mistreater) in a friendship.
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