Sara Varon.  Robot Dreams.  First Second, 2007.  208 pages.  All ages.

Dog meets robot.  Dog loves robot.  Robot loves dog.  Then tin meets salt water, and the relationship’s sustainability factor immediately plummets.  Dog, having no choice but to move on, experiences several cycles of friendship and loss.  Robot, rusted and immobilized, relies on dreams and fantasy, and experiences what could have been.  If clouds had arms and flowers could walk, that is.

I wouldn’t say that the book is wordless, exactly, but there is neither narration nor dialog.  The illustrations are simple, as are the events that transpire, leaving room for interpretation of the significance of its themes and the emotions at play.  I found myself reminded of The Snowman by Raymond Briggs, as the only paneled, wordless story I read as a kid—not to mention the melted snowman.  I’m not sure if the reader is meant to make this connection, or if the snowman was chosen simply to reflect the seasonal changes that are integral to the story.  Either way, this is not Varon’s first melted snowman.

I think this book is appropriate for all ages.  There are some things that younger audiences may miss, sure, but that’s true of anything, really.  As an experiment, I’m going to give it to my five-going-on-six year old and see what happens.  I think I might intervene at the rusting-up part, because it’s drawn pretty subtly, and I don’t want dog’s abandonment of robot to seem heartless.  Other than that I think she can handle it.

also reviewed at:
100 Scope Notes | emilyreads | A Fuse #8 Production | Miss Erin | Shelf Elf