The Robot and the Bluebird [Hardcover] [BYR] (Author) David Lucas

by David Lucas

Brand New. Will be shipped from US.

Genres: Picture Books, Robots, Childrens, Friendship, Animals, Birds, Fiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

David Lucas has written and illustrated several books for children and was named a Booktrust Best New Illustrator. He lives in London.

Reviews

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prachtig prentenboek waarin twee van mijn favoriete wezens samenkomen: robots en vogels. De tekeningen zijn bijzonder mooi, net als het verhaal - al is dit wel een beetje triest. Toch genoot ik van De robot en het blauwe vogeltje.
Mijn complete recensie lees je op Oog op de Toekomst.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took a second or third reading of this to truly get to me, but once I fell in love with this title I fell hard. A very simple, very lovely tale. Lucas is one of those guys with pictures too subtlely beautiful to ever garner the attention he deserves.

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:
“…but now my heart is singing…!”

Oh! So so beautiful! Lovely life lessons in this one alongside sweet characters and perfectly pitched illustrations… I think that this might go straight onto the metaphorical family favourites shelf!

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet, and I think, sad story. Broken-hearted Robot finds a new sense of purpose when he finds Bluebird in need. This one should be discussed, not just read: Why did Robot do what he did? Did he "die" happy? (Did he die at all?) Why do people need a sense of purpose? Is it more important to make ourselves happy or help others?

You can see how it could be very philosophical, but it doesn't have to. And it depends on the age of the kids involved in the discussion. I think this could be used up in to the high school grades as a discussion-starter.

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Een prachtig boek over een robot zonder hart en een vogel zonder huis. Ik wist wel dat ik dit boek zou liefhebben, de cover alleen al is geweldig en de blurb maakt het nog mooier. Het boek gaat over een robot wiens hart is verdwenen, de andere robots proberen hem te helpen... maar zoals ik al had verwacht liep dat niet zo goed (al vraag ik me af of ze ansich eens met een hart hebben geprobeerd), hij wordt naar de schroot gestuurd (arme robot helemaal moedersziel alleen op die nare plek), en dan ontmoet hij een vogeltje. En die zorgt ervoor dat alles weer zingt, dat hij vederlicht is, en meer. Ik waarschuw wel, het einde daar moest ik toch even bijna huilen want was dat verdrietig maar tegelijkertijd prachtig en mooi.
Ik vond de illustraties ook erg mooi gedaan.

[Sarah Verhasselt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hartverwarmend... recensie op mijn blog volgt.

[Frances Coe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gorgeous tale depicting humanity and friendship through a robot and a bird. I love the offering of an everlasting home that is built where a broken heart once was. Potentially needs a slightly older child to read and and really appreciate its value. Although much room for cross curricula work

[Lil Old Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly did not expect a story about a robot and a bluebird to have me crying while reading to my kids, but here we are.

[Sophie Snowden · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very lovely story

[Becky Sparkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing picture book.
This book is very emotional but has so many learning opportunities.
Lots of drama can come out of this book, thinking about how the robot feels and creating freeze frames of certain points in the story and saying how a character might feel.
This book also links to the seasons as there is a point in the book where the robot is sat on the scrap heap for a whole year through all the seasons. This provides lots of discussion about how he might feel each on season and the children can create word banks to write down adjectives to describe how the robot feels in each season.

[Anna Nesterovich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I certainly didn't like this book. The story is sweet and sad and can teach kids some good things, but it awkwardly worded and even more awkwardly illustrated, to the point when a kid tells a completely different story, based on the illustrations, that has very little in common with what is written. Still, we kept reading it from time to time, because my kid likes it. Maybe it's because of his current fascination with robots and droids.

[Lucius · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very simple story with a profound message. The metaphors within this book are numerous and none of them are forced. I would read this book with any child between the ages of one and ten and I think they would find the beauty in the text. In my opinion, this is one of the best picture books to be published in many years.

[Boni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. It is a lovely story, the illustrations and design are stunning and the simple spareness of it will stay with you long afterward. Lucas keeps getting better and better.

[Kerrie Dunn-Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. Beautiful illustrations and a lovely story. Lots of opportunities to use for cross curricular planning (seasons, friendship, values, art)

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do we do with Tin Men who have no heart? Well, we kindly show them that no matter whether the organ is there or not, this is not where kindness and love truly reside. As with Baum’s Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, Lucas presents us with a Robot without a heart (it starts off broken) and he is left to rust because of it. On a huge scrapheap he remains open to the elements, gradually loses his sheen and rusts. It is only when a bluebird, tired from journeying, takes harbour in the space with his heart once was that his life and purpose changes. This encounter begins a touching journey and a legacy of friendship that is deeply beautiful.

Lucas is sparse with his words when he needs to be and the contrast in the sharp, metallic and claustrophobic world of the robots to the broad, sweeping vistas of the bluebird’s outside provide a beautiful metaphor for finding a love and purpose within yourself through helping others instead of being bound in the monotonicity of life. There is enough here to engage the youngest reader and have the oldest reflect on its philosophies upon love, life and companionship.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A robot with a broken heart finds purpose in someone to carry.

I don't like this book. First, the idea that the robot was useless when his heart wore out is too sad. Then the fact that he only gained use again when he found a way he could provide a service to someone else is equally sad. It says our value is only in what we can provide for others. That he gave all of his last self to help someone else is sweet and sacrificial, but was it necessary? What if he'd built something for the bird? Or found a way to protect them both?

I saw some reviews which pointed out "The Giving Tree" vibes, and I'm sure that is supposed to be the point of the story. But it made me sad to read it, and didn't give me a whole lot in return. I'm giving this two stars instead of one because I like the illustrations. Otherwise...no. I won't read this again.

[Alicia Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is absolutely stunning. It's about hope gained after heartbreak, purpose, companionship, sacrifice, and love. It's probably about so much more but discover those meanings for yourself.
Though small, this book is mighty and stirs a lot of beautiful emotions. It's such a great book that I wanted to feature it in my year 2 class, as it also ties in perfectly to our Topic of inventions (a lot of the children thought of robots when they thought about inventions). I think this story will provide rich content for our literacy lessons, and it's a great one to delve into what's on the inside, and not just what's on the outside.

Highly recommend this beautiful book.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit surreal in a very good way. Reminds me a bit of one of my favorites, esp. re' the art, Moon Man. Similar theme to Ferry's 'Scarecrow' but much better: more moving and plausible and subtle in its depths.

Recommended. I will look for more by the author.

(Discovered thanks to Children's Books group's June 2021 'birds' theme, but not really about the bird so much.)

[Ina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming tale of a robot, with a broken heart, who finds a purpose again,when he meets a small, tired bluebird. The bluebird was late flying south and finds warmth the robot's empty chest cavity. The relationship between the bluebird and the robot is a beautiful thing. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the text full of hope, second chances, and love.

[Cassie Veselovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my first look at the cover of the book, I thought "tin man" from the Wizard of Oz. I don't know if it's my mood or what, but the message in this book seems too blatant and "in your face". I love the illustrations, and the whole idea of the bird giving life to this robot who is missing his heart, but couldn't more be left up to personal interpretation?

[Nena Heesakkers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mooi boek over een (‘kapotte’) robot die in verschillende staten langskomt vanwege het weer in de diverse seizoenen. Een vogeltje komt langs, maar kan niet lang blijven i.v.m. overwinteren. De robot wil het warme gevoel dat hij van het vogeltje krijgt teruggeven aan het vogeltje en dus brengt de robot het vogeltje naar zijn/haar zonnige plek van bestemming.

[Summer · Rating 3 out of 5]

KS1 - Reminded me of the Happy Prince - It was a rehash of this with a few changes e.g. instead of a statue it's a robot. Also reminded me of Iron Giant film (friendship between the robot and the boy), the tin man in the Wizard of Oz (the robot that needed a heart).

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story about the ways we can use our brokenness to help others. It is often that we can help others in moments of weakness too, for our weaknesses are often times the strengths of others. The illustrations were meticulously drawn as well. Overall, a very nice story.

[Lara Bate · Rating 3 out of 5]

We read the book "Attack of the Giant Baby" by David Lucas (was not listed on Goodreads). It is about a baby who wrecks the King and Queen's castle but then the baby's sister cleans up the mess and puts the castle back to how it was.

[Freyia Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heartfelt story which shows how a Robot that has been thrown into the scrapheap because he didn't have a heart then receiving a different type of heart in the form of a Bluebird, whom he lets nest in the space were his heart should have been to keep him warm during the winter. The illustrations are exciting and colourful which makes the book even more interesting.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet book.

My daughter had me reread it to her before we took it back to the library. Love it when she latches onto a book.

[Stefanie Delinois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this book makes me sad, it is a good story. Spoiler alert- the robot give his life for the bird. This story provides a great opportunity to talk to kids about the Gospel.

[Bonnie Tesch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty, morbid, and very reminiscent of Oscar Wilde's "The Happy Prince."

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried the first time I read this book. And my sister cried reading it for the first time too. It's a beautiful kid's book.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tender book about meaning in life, sacrifice and friendship. Highly recommended.