Zoobots by Helaine Becker

Zoobots: Wild Robots Inspired by Real Animals by Helaine Becker and illustrated by Alex Ries. Kids Can Press, 2014, 32 pages.

• Reading Level: Picture Book, 8-10
• Recommended for: Ages 8 and up

Anthropomorphic robots are the stuff of science fiction movies, but they really exist! Zoobots is a very well-organized, well-illustrated guide to some of the anthropomorphic robots which are in actual use right now. Ranging from robots based on the lowly roly poly all the way to the human-like Geminoid, the robots in Zoobots are each meticulously modeled after a particular living creature in an attempt to make use of that creature’s unique gifts and abilities. The resulting robots can do some amazing jobs—from delivering cancer-fighting medication at the cellular level to battling large-scale forest fires. Each robot is described using the following headings: “name,” “team,” “realm,” “super skill,” “specifications,” “applications,” and “special ops,” with a final section about the animal that inspired that particular robot. A detailed diagram of the robot and a drawing of the living creature accompany the text.

Of particular note is the section describing each zoobot’s inspiration. Its title is “Evolved From” which appears to be designed to add to the feel of this book as a scientific tome on various animal species. This use of words is unfortunate because there is very little else on most of the robots’ pages that even hints at evolution. In fact, the mere existence of these amazing animal abilities and the team of humans that is required even to come close to mimicking those traits in robotic form showcases the marvelous complexity of creation itself. The Geminoid robot modeled after humans is also written in this vein, but the equating of humans with other animals is troublesome.

The evolutionary mindset in the “evolved from” headings and the human chapter aren’t enough to remove this book from our consideration. Rather, let me encourage you to use this book with your children both to marvel at the intricacy and complexity of God’s creation and the amazing intelligence he has given humans and also to discuss just why we humans ARE different from the rest of the animal kingdom. This book is remarkable and contains fascinating information we can make use of. It is a book to read intentionally, though, and not one to simply hand to your child with no further discussion. Children interested in robots, Lego League activities, and similar pursuits will especially find this book interesting.

Overall Quality: 4 (out of 5)

• Worldview/Moral Value: 3 (out of 5)
• Artistic Value: 5

Cautions: worldview (evolutionary thought; see paragraphs 2 and 3 above for more specifics)

Recommended Use: curriculum tie-in (applied science, biology)

Categories: Science, Education, Biology, Applied Science, Nonfiction