Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 05/01/2017 It’s bedtime and three young robot brothers (Crash, Beep, and Buzz) want to enter sleep mode, but one complication after another prevents that from happening. First it’s Beep’s hiccups—or “flick-ups”—followed by scary monsters, too much light, too much heat, and a noisy fan. Each solution generates another problem, until the three brobots adjust each issue, creating a sleep-inducing ambiance. Ironically, Beep’s snoring then keeps the other two awake. Though neither the text nor the illustrations are particularly engaging, there are chuckles to be had, and this will likely find an audience due to the popularity of robots. The brief text, which consists entirely of dialogue, conveys the action well and gives a sense of a charming camaraderie among the brobots, but doesn’t allow for much else. The three robot brothers are interesting shapes, but the use of muted colors and fuzzy backgrounds lessens their appeal. Bottom line in the language of the brobots: will diehard robot fans appreciate this? Affirmative! - Copyright 2017 Booklist.