Ready-Set-Robot!

Sol-1 the Robot #1

by Lillian Hoban, Phoebe Hoban

When robots from all over Zone One gather to race in the Digi-Maze, a power pack mixup almost causes disaster for Sol-1.

62 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

The youngest of three children, Lillian Hoban was born in Philadelphia on May 18, 1925. She attended the Philadelphia Museum School of Art, studied dance for ten years (and danced with the Martha Graham dancers), taught Modern Dance and danced professionally in the 1950s.
She learned to draw still life and began to write her own stories only after having children (Phoebe, Brom, Esme and Julia), and based her tales on their experiences.

Lillian Hoban's I-Can- Read-Books about Arthur the Chimpanzee, and the Frances books (written by her former husband Russell Hoban) continue to be extremely popular among children as time goes by- the hallmark of classics.

from http://www.lillianhoban.com/Biography...

Reviews

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bleepity Bleep Bleep. God, that was awful. Even the worst of the stupid Arthur the chimp books is better than this. What happened to the I Can Read series? And to think that there is actually a sequel....

[Tiffiny · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 7 yo loved this one. I thought it was a little confusing, but she loved it.

[Phoebe Aster Skylake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite book to check out of my school library when I was a kid. I remember taking it home every week and reading it again and again. I've always loved robots and technology.

[Jacquelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a robot in outer space? Children can experience just that in this story about a mechanical youngster in Ready---Set---Robot!, part of the I Can Read series, written by Lillian and Phoebe Hoban. Sol-1, a young robot from Zone One, has entered a race and can’t be bothered to clean up his room. He’s a bit nervous, as he must enter the Outer Zone where his solar power pack won’t charge but boosts his confidence with little songs he sings to himself. He learns the hard way that being messy can lead to trouble, but he preservers with the help of friends and family.

Lillian Hoban’s pencil and ink cartoons really come to life in this science fiction tale for children almost ready to transition into chapter books. The colors, or lack thereof, convey the homey setting of Zone One and the eeriness of the Outer Zone. Hoban’s drawings include subtle expressions on the robots to help convey the message of the story in great detail. Although the book was written over 25 years ago, the topic of solar energy couldn’t be timelier.