Stories without words |
Friendship -- Comic books, strips, etc. |
Dogs -- Comic books, strips, etc. |
Robots -- Comic books, strips, etc. |
Graphic novels. |
Picture story books |
Story picture books |
Visual story books |
Wordless picture books |
Wordless story books |
Affection |
Friendliness |
Canis canis |
Canis domesticus |
Canis familiarus |
Canis familiarus domesticus |
Canis lupus familiaris |
Dog |
Domestic dog |
Automata |
Automatons |
Available:
Library | Shelf Number | Shelf Location | Status |
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Searching... Fall River Main | JFIC VAR | CHILDREN STACKS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Attleboro Public Library | MR VARON,S | CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Dartmouth - Southworth | J GN VAR | CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... East Bridgewater Jr/Sr High School | GRAPH YFIC VAR | GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... East Bridgewater Public Library | VAR | CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Elizabeth Taber Library | J GN VAR | CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Holmes Public Library | J GN VAR | CHILDREN FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Mansfield Public Library | J FIC VARON (GRAPHIC) | CHILDREN FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Middleborough Public Library | J GN VAR | CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Norfolk Public Library | JGN VARO | CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Norton Public Library | JGN VAR | CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Pembroke Public Library | J GN VARON, S. | CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Raynham Library | JGRAPHIC VAR | CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Roderick School | GN FIC VAR | GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... Wareham Free Library | J GN VAR | CHILDREN FICTION | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... West Bridgewater PL | J VARON, SARA | CHILDREN GRAPHIC NOVELS | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
This graphic novel classic is now an Oscar-nominated animated feature!
This moving, charming graphic novel about a dog and a robot shows us in poignant detail how powerful and fragile relationships are. After a Labor Day jaunt to the beach leaves the robot rusted, immobilized in the sand, the dog must return alone to the life they shared. But the memory of their friendship lingers, and as the seasons pass, the dog tries to fill the emotional void left by the loss of his closest friend, making and losing a series of friends, from a melting snowman to epicurean anteaters. But for the robot, lying rusting on the beach, the only relief from loneliness is in dreams.
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Robots, ducks, melting snowmen and other mute creatures, all rendered in sweet and simple drawings, go through some very big, very human ordeals in Varon's (Chicken and Cat) elegiac and lovely graphic novel about friendship. Dog buys a build-your-own-robot kit and assembles a new best friend for himself. But a day at the beach leaves Robot's joints rusted and immobile, and Dog is obliged to abandon him there. While Dog spends the next year trying to fill the hole in his life left by Robot-and assuage his guilt-Robot lies inert on the beach, dreaming of rescue and escape. Dog's episodic stories are particularly poignant in the way they mirror the human tendency to "try things out" in the hopes of meeting some emotional need; Robot is an avatar for all children who wonder why they aren't receiving the love they think they deserve. In a conclusion both powerful and original, Robot ends up reworked into a radio by a raccoon grateful for the music, and forgives Dog, even if Dog doesn't realize it; for once characters don't have to wind up back together to find happiness. Tender, funny and wise. Ages 8-up. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* In this nearly wordless graphic novel, Dog's desire for a companion is satisfied the day Robot arrives by mail. Dog assembles Robot, and their adventure begins. After visiting the library, watching movies, and eating popcorn, the companions end up at the dog beach. Robot is hesitant to frolic in the waves at first, but after a short pause, he dives right in. The result is unfortunate a rusty, immobile Robot. Unsure of what to do for his friend, remorseful Dog abandons Robot on the sand to dream of what might have been (depicted first in brown tonal artwork as opposed to the color used to designate actions in real time) had things turned out differently. While Robot is used and abused, and eventually disposed of in a scrap yard, Dog agonizes over his companion, then begins searching for a new one with mixed, sometimes comic results. Varon's drawing style is uncomplicated, and her colors are clean and refreshing. Although her story line seems equally simple, it is invested with true emotion. Her masterful depiction of Dog's struggles with guilt and Robot's dreams of freedom effectively pulls readers into this journey of friendship, loss, self-discovery, and moving forward. Use this as Exhibit A to prove that graphic novels can pack an emotional punch equal to some of the best youth fiction.--King, Kevin Copyright 2007 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-9-Dog is overjoyed with his newly created robot, until their beach vacation. A rusty robot can't walk, so Dog must abandon him. As months pass, Robot dreams of rescue, while Dog tries to both retrieve and replace him. A bittersweet ending and winsome caricatures convey the joy and pain of friendship. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A wordless graphic novel provides a plangent meditation on the nature of friendship. When a dog buys a mail-order robot kit and puts it together, the two become fast friends. On an ill-fated trip to the beach salt water works its corrosive way on the robot, and the dog is forced to leave his immobilized friend lying on its towel on the sand. Their separate stories unfold over the next 11 months, as the dog makes an effort to repair his friend, only to discover the beach has closed, then turns to other friendships, while the robot lies suffering the ravages of weather and neglect and dreaming of friendships past and possible. Varon's muted blues, grays and browns set the emotional tone for this tale, angularly regular hand-framed panels that only rarely vary with frameless images serving to emphasize the emotional confinement of her protagonists. The resolution is psychologically ambiguous, denying readers the satisfaction of a happy reunion but offering them the harder-edged truth that friendships change and die--but others can rise in their place. Witty and plaintive by turns, this is thoughtful, provocative pleasure. (Graphic novel. 8-14) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.