Meep

This picture book has the same basic premiss as Man on the Moon: a day in the life of Bob by Simon Bartram, in which the little robot, as with Bob on the Moon, spends a lot of time on Mars, but fails to see the aliens, who make sure they are always hidden. Bob was published over 20 years ago, so a new generation of small children can delight in spotting the friendly-looking aliens in their hiding places, and see them in their underground base. They can also watch them pick up the bits that keep drooping off Meep, and know more than the scientists about how Meep was able to be restored to active service – that is a totally different angle.

The scientists, a delightful bunch of multicultural characters, male and female, young (purple hair) and older (balding), get very excited about their ’brave’ little robot, and Meep is thought of as female. They send her a love song when she stops working after the dust storm, promise never to forget her, and are delighted when she starts transmitting again.

This will be a good book to share and read aloud: children can do the countdown before Meep is launched into space, and spot the first hidden alien…