Learning from Picture Books - Power Down, Little Robot

I suppose I should have a Canadian selection today, in honor of Canada Day yesterday. But I really liked this cute bedtime story.

Here’s the summary from Amazon:

It's time to power down for the night, but Little Robot isn't ready! He quickly opens his stalling program. Luckily, Mom Unit knows exactly how to get him into his sleep module.

From a debut picture book author and the illustrator of Little Boo, this funny twist on a familiar nighttime routine will click with bedtime avoidance experts everywhere.

Power Down, Little Robot, was written by Anna Staniszweski and illustrated by Tim Zeltner, published by Henry Holt & Company, 2015.

My thoughts as a writer:

This picture book shows a clever execution of a good concept. There are lots of cute references, like “Will you read me a manual?” and “systems functioning normally.” The ending line fits the story perfectly.

The illustrations reminded me a bit of the old television show “The Jetsons”, evoking a little nostalgia for me. I liked the softness the illustrator brought to the robot theme, which makes it very suitable for a cozy read at bedtime.

My thoughts as a teacher:

Although I don’t usually read many “bedtime” stories at school, I think students would enjoy this, especially if they are showing an interest in robots. This story could spark imaginative play with student-constructed cardboard robots and encourage students to write their own stories about them.

There's a cute trailer for this book that would a be fun backdrop for kids to improvise a dance.

Themes: bedtime routines, family

Ages: 3 – 5

Grades: preschool - 1

Follow-Up Activities:

- create a cardboard box robot

- find your favourite page in the story and explain why you like it

- draw or write a bedtime story about your favorite toy

If you're looking for more great picture books to investigate as a writer or to share with your children over the summer, consider checking out the list of Perfect Picture Books, put together by author Susanna Leonard Hill. Her weekly feature, Perfect Picture Book Friday, is on a break during the summer time, but the list is there and is especially useful if you're looking for a book with a specific topic or theme.