House of Robots (House of Robots Series #1)

by James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein Narrated by Jack Patterson

Overview

The #1 New York Times*bestseller, perfect for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid!
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An extraordinary robot enters an ordinary fifth grade class in this hilarious, action-packed start to the #1 bestselling series from James Patterson!

Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez has never really fit in, with an inventor mother, a graphic novelist father, a lovable little sister with an autoimmune disorder...and house full of robots. So he's dreading the day when his mom insists he bring her newest invention to school: a walking, talking robot he calls E, for "Error". Sammy's no stranger to robots-he lives with a colorful cast of them-but this one not only thinks it's Sammy's brother . . . it's actually even*nerdier*than Sammy.
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Will E be Sammy's one-way ticket to Loserville? Or will he prove to the world that it's cool to be smart? It's a roller-coaster ride for Sammy as he discovers the amazing secret E holds that could change his family forever . . . if all goes well on the trial run!
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“A fast-moving plot, lots of jokes, and a host of weird robots will draw readers in, especially those looking for books similar to series such as `Diary of a Wimpy Kid.''”-School Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for House of Robots:
A #1 New York Times Bestseller

"Underlying the novel's laughs are themes of friendship, compassion, and family, particularly in regard to Sammy's devotion to his younger sister...and his deepening relationship with his 'bro-bot.'"—Publishers Weekly

"A good fit for reluctant readers."—CommonSenseMedia.org

New York Times bestselling author of the Artemis F Eoin Colfer

I dislocated my jaw laughing.”

AudioFile

Jack Patterson’s dynamic performance captures the emotions of fifth-grader Sammy Rodriguez-Hayes and his ‘brother’—the robot he calls ‘Error.’ Sammy’s youth and awkwardness are effectively conveyed by Patterson with an energetic voice and well-timed, perfectly delivered quips. Patterson’s portrayal of the robots is also superbly done, with a fractured, irregular pace to convey their fragmented speech. The addition of sound effects of echoing and electronic pings adds another dimension to their realistic metallic voices. Patterson’s lively presentation of all the characters is immediately engaging, and he deftly modulates his tone to highlight the moments of joy and seriousness in this endearing story. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award.”

Kirkus Reviews

2015-01-07
Sammy is less than thrilled when his genius inventor mother creates a robot brother for him.Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez's life has always been filled with robots. His mother has invented automatons that clean the floors, mow the lawn, give traffic reports and even plant fantastic gardens. Sammy's school has until now been a robot-free zone, but when Mom invents E (for Egghead, or maybe Einstein Jr.—his parents can't decide) and insists Sammy take the new robot to school, things get out of hand. Chronicling the ups and downs of an entire school year with a robot brother, the authors put cute sci-fi twists on first-time crushes, school bullies and best-friend troubles. There's nothing here that breaks new ground or illuminates the psyche of young boys in any new or interesting ways, but there are plenty of amusing jokes. Young readers with an interest in science will certainly be engaged. A subplot featuring Sammy's younger sister, a brilliant girl who is homebound by severe combined immunodeficiency disorder, is as by-the-numbers as the rest of the book, but it doesn't tie in to the robot plot until the very end. It's hard to tell if this development is a clumsy climax or an awkward setup for a sequel. Either way, it doesn't work well with everything that came beforehand. A perfectly acceptable and predictable trifle. (Science fiction. 9-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173721174
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	11/24/2014
Series:	House of Robots Series , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

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