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Eager #1
Eager
It's the end of the 21st century where technocrats rule and robots take care of humans’ every need. Your house watches you, knows your secrets, and talks to you. And your closest friend can be—a machine?
Gavin Bell and his teenage sister Fleur come from a middle-class family. Their much-loved, old-fashioned robot, Grumps, is running down and can’t be repaired, so a scientist friend loans them EGR3, an experimental new robot to help Grumps. EGR3, known as Eager, learns from his experiences, as a child would. He feels emotions—wonder, excitement, and loss. When the ultra high-tech, eerily human BDC4 robots begin to behave suspiciously, Eager and the Bells are drawn into a great adventure that is sometimes dark and often humorous. As Eager’s extraordinary abilities are tested to the limit, he will try to find the answer to this What does it mean to be alive?
From the Hardcover edition.
Gavin Bell and his teenage sister Fleur come from a middle-class family. Their much-loved, old-fashioned robot, Grumps, is running down and can’t be repaired, so a scientist friend loans them EGR3, an experimental new robot to help Grumps. EGR3, known as Eager, learns from his experiences, as a child would. He feels emotions—wonder, excitement, and loss. When the ultra high-tech, eerily human BDC4 robots begin to behave suspiciously, Eager and the Bells are drawn into a great adventure that is sometimes dark and often humorous. As Eager’s extraordinary abilities are tested to the limit, he will try to find the answer to this What does it mean to be alive?
From the Hardcover edition.
Hardcover
First published June 8, 2004
71 people are currently reading
649 people want to read
About the author
Helen Fox
72 books30 followersHelen Fox lives in London with her husband, a cognitive scientist, and their son. She graduated from Oxford University with a degree in history and modern languages. Before she became a writer, she worked at a primary school and trained and worked as an actress. Eager was her first book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
December 8, 2015
I read this book the first time when I was eleven, but never finished because I lost interest. I don't regret (re)reading this, but I can't say it is worth recommending. The character of Eager was cute but there wasn't much more to it. The book had some rudimentary philosophy that could have been expanded on, but it was a nice taste of philosophy for young readers. The characters were nice enough. Unfortunatly, the climax of the book was underwhelming. The first third of the book is the best and it progressively gets less interesting.
October 11, 2018
This book was one of my favorites. It was so cool that it was written in the future context. It was placed in the 22nd Century. It is also one of my favorites because it shows a theme of, It's always good to help. In the story Eager a robot was with the Bell family he liked to do chores and help around. Later on in the book he was starting to feel like he was being used. But when the Bell family said that they weren't using him Eager stayed with the first family he ever had.
April 21, 2017
*Yes, of course I could understand what was going on in the story, I'm merely pointing out flaws here. No unnecessary degrading comments about my intelligence*
Plot:
The premise had a lot of potential, with Eager's internal struggle with the meaning of life, but the author seemed to get bored with writing the novel halfway through. The entire plot line with the BDC4s was frankly unnecessary, seemingly just added in to create excitement for those too young or too stupid to appreciate the subtle plot. Honestly, the climax should've been Grumps' death. That part had a lot of potential, with the readers and eager processing what it means to feel grief for something that wasn't ever really alive.
Characters:
Many of the human characters seem very one dimensional and stereotypical. Perhaps this is a reflection of their robotic upbringing, or meant to accentuate Eager's depth of character, but it seems to me was just a failing of the author. Fox tried to write a plot driven novel, but ended up completely neglecting all other aspects of the writing.
Writing style:
I was bored, and at times confused, by the writing. While the writing at times seems to be for elementary aged readers, at other times it is vague and lacks a sense of timing. I found myself having to reread several parts, especially Eager's cliff dive. And can we just talk about the perspective switches? They were mid chapter with no indication, and often no identification as to which character's perspective you now had to stumble through. If you're going to make all of the characters so boring and insipid that I can't tell their personalities apart, at least name them as you switch perspective!
Plot:
The premise had a lot of potential, with Eager's internal struggle with the meaning of life, but the author seemed to get bored with writing the novel halfway through. The entire plot line with the BDC4s was frankly unnecessary, seemingly just added in to create excitement for those too young or too stupid to appreciate the subtle plot. Honestly, the climax should've been Grumps' death. That part had a lot of potential, with the readers and eager processing what it means to feel grief for something that wasn't ever really alive.
Characters:
Many of the human characters seem very one dimensional and stereotypical. Perhaps this is a reflection of their robotic upbringing, or meant to accentuate Eager's depth of character, but it seems to me was just a failing of the author. Fox tried to write a plot driven novel, but ended up completely neglecting all other aspects of the writing.
Writing style:
I was bored, and at times confused, by the writing. While the writing at times seems to be for elementary aged readers, at other times it is vague and lacks a sense of timing. I found myself having to reread several parts, especially Eager's cliff dive. And can we just talk about the perspective switches? They were mid chapter with no indication, and often no identification as to which character's perspective you now had to stumble through. If you're going to make all of the characters so boring and insipid that I can't tell their personalities apart, at least name them as you switch perspective!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2016
Published in 2004, Helen Fox's "Eager" is an entry into the Science Fiction genre. I read this piece as a selection for the Chapter and Verse cook club that I belong to.
LifeCorp (the company that "...provided transport, food, water, learning centers, factories, houses, and almost everything else..." - p. 28) has just released the new BDC4 robot. However, the Bell Family (Charlotte, Fleur, Gavin, and Mr. and Mr.s Bell), members of the "professional" class, can't afford this new model. They rely on "Grumps," their old robot, whose timer is not working properly. Only government officials and technocrats can afford the luxury of the BDC4, such as Fleur's best friend Marcie whose family has a brand new robot named "Boadicea." As a compromise, Mr. Bell arranges with Professor Ogden for his family to take in a prototype robot, EGR3, an experimental model robot whom they name "Eager." When the BDC4s start doing strange things and disappearing for long stretches at a time Fleur, Gavin, and Eager begin to suspect something big is amiss with the BDC4's. And they are correct! The action generally moves along at a good pace; however, there is so much jammed into the story that, at times, the plot gets confusing (the scene in the hotel room with Sea Captain Bradoc, an the other BDC4s, for example).
There is much here for readers to chew on, maybe a bit too much for middle schoolers, to the point that "Eager" feels "stuffed." Some of those thematic elements include:
- the question as to what makes someone or something human such as feelings and emotions, or the ability to think
- p. 17 - "'We humans don't last forever...and neither do machines.'"
- robots versus animals - p. 17-8 - "'Animals are alive, Mum...Robots are just machines that run on an energy supply'...'Animals need an energy supply too. They get theirs from food.'"
- robots versus humans
- the right to be free - p. 21
- the right to be happy - p. 21
- free will - p. 21
- the importance of education and lifelong learning
- privacy - p. 37 - "'You know, your mum and I discussed this when we built the house. We agreed it would be dreadful to spy on our own children. You've a right to privacy like anyone else.'"
- class: technocrats and governmental officials, professionals, city dwellers
- the ability to reason
- pp. 56-7 - "'We can teach it about the physical world, but we can't teach it about life...love, loyalty, kindness, joy, compassion, courage, fear, envy, anger, loss...You can't teach those things in computer simulations.'"
- the energy crisis - pp. 62-3
- p. 66-7 - "'When I was your age, Fleur, everything seemed to be collapsing about us. Our food no longer nourished us, we couldn't move for traffic, the rivers and sees were polluted, trees were dying, there were floods and earthquakes and hurricanes and drought...Much of it was our fault. And while people all over the world were getting richer, a lot of the poor were getting poorer. Some people went on buying and buying things they didn't really need as if that were the answer to all our problems...My mum and dad did their best. They decided that what mattered in life was thier family, their friends, and helping others. Lots of people thought the same and they tried to live more simply...When I grew up, I didn't think they'd done enough.There were thousands of us, young people...we demanded healthy food, clean air, but most of all a fairer system...Then the petrol began to run out and the real changes began. The air grew cleaner...'"
- friendship
- truth and honesty versus lies
- what makes us "alive," and what makes us "dead"? - the cycle of "life"- p. 88 - "'How can we know about death before we die?...how can you have a good death without a good life?'"
- p. 89 - "'Without questions, how will we ever know?'"
- the ethics of robotics - p. 96 - "'A robot must never harm, or allow harm to be done to, a human being. A robot must never do anything that might endanger a human being. A robot must not harm itself or another robot, unless the other robot is endangering a human being.'"
- p. 99 - "'You were ignorant of the facts and now you know better? This is a step toward the good life.'"
- p. 135 - "'...no one's starving or homeless these days...But there are still things we need to fight for...Freedom. The freedom to do or say what we want, to travel and live where we want, to choose our won jobs, to build things for ourselves...'"
- the value of art
- p. 182 - "'We robots cannot be programmed to know everything...Therefore we must learn, and learning involves mistakes. The same is true for humans, I believe.'"
- pp. 194-5 - pollution and recycling - "Decades of twentieth century plastic...bags, toys, bowls, pens, computers, light fittings, shoes, jewelry, toothpaste tubes, nappies...All waiting to be dug up and turned back into oil...'What happens to waist now?'...'We send it into outer space, way beyond the earth's orbit.'"
- p. 201 - "'You're sort of alive because you can see and thing and talk and move...But if you mean alive like the trees, then no, you're not. You see, we're organisms and we can reproduce ourselves, and you're a machine.'"
- p. 207 - "'We humans are a stupid lot...making a fuss about a machine. There must be something about the way we're made....'"
- p.211 - "'It is a thought that animals are not aware that they exist. At least, they cannot reflect on their actions.'"
- p. 212 - "'...we are talking about free will...I'm talking about choices...Whether we are really free to act or whether some greater is controlling our actions.'"
- p. 244 - the discussion of the story of Icarus - "'I see it as a lesson to us all. Sometimes we have to fly close to the sun because part of being human is to reach for things beyond us. The secret is to know when to stop.'"
- artificial intelligence
- who controls the media and the information that we receive
- the power of large corporations - p. 254 - "'It's a sorry tale of ambition and hubris.'"
- knowing the difference between right and wrong
- p.258 - "'Memories shape who we are. Most of us adults feel a yearning for at least part of our "lost world."'"
Technologies that intended readers might find interesting (though we have many technologies similar to these that include:
- a house that has the capability of watching its occupants
- robots - p.13 - "'We weren't the first robots, of course. Did you know, we go back to the twentieth century? My ancestors used to assemble cars and television sets. They couldn't think, mind you...They just did the same repetitive task.'"
- gobetweens
- gobeys
- delivery pods
- jinns
- hoverbusses
- moving walls
- simulations
- telepathy
- radio transmitters
- scanner
- cars that drive themselves
Aimed at middle school readers, there is some pretty sophisticated stuff going on here. For instance, Gavin and Eager spend a lot of time on the "gobetween" speaking to the philosopher, Sophocles. Most middle schoolers will have little knowledge of Sophocles and his philosophy.Though the basic warning about the dangers of technology will be clear to middle schoolers (p.253 - "'It's the old story, isn't it? The robot that turns against its creator. We love to scare ourselves...'"), much of the thematic material here is complex and difficult as well. In addition, much of the technology that the author accurately predicted would be apart of our future, has arrived (though the names are not the same), or we are on the brink of seeing these technologies as reality. In this sense, "Eager" feels a bit dated for the 2016 reader. Finally, American readers may find the British terminology ("lorry" and "petrol," for example) confusing.
On the positive side, there is some humor that readers may appreciate. The characters, especially Eager and the Bells, are generally endearing as well.
Just O.K. for me in 2016.
LifeCorp (the company that "...provided transport, food, water, learning centers, factories, houses, and almost everything else..." - p. 28) has just released the new BDC4 robot. However, the Bell Family (Charlotte, Fleur, Gavin, and Mr. and Mr.s Bell), members of the "professional" class, can't afford this new model. They rely on "Grumps," their old robot, whose timer is not working properly. Only government officials and technocrats can afford the luxury of the BDC4, such as Fleur's best friend Marcie whose family has a brand new robot named "Boadicea." As a compromise, Mr. Bell arranges with Professor Ogden for his family to take in a prototype robot, EGR3, an experimental model robot whom they name "Eager." When the BDC4s start doing strange things and disappearing for long stretches at a time Fleur, Gavin, and Eager begin to suspect something big is amiss with the BDC4's. And they are correct! The action generally moves along at a good pace; however, there is so much jammed into the story that, at times, the plot gets confusing (the scene in the hotel room with Sea Captain Bradoc, an the other BDC4s, for example).
There is much here for readers to chew on, maybe a bit too much for middle schoolers, to the point that "Eager" feels "stuffed." Some of those thematic elements include:
- the question as to what makes someone or something human such as feelings and emotions, or the ability to think
- p. 17 - "'We humans don't last forever...and neither do machines.'"
- robots versus animals - p. 17-8 - "'Animals are alive, Mum...Robots are just machines that run on an energy supply'...'Animals need an energy supply too. They get theirs from food.'"
- robots versus humans
- the right to be free - p. 21
- the right to be happy - p. 21
- free will - p. 21
- the importance of education and lifelong learning
- privacy - p. 37 - "'You know, your mum and I discussed this when we built the house. We agreed it would be dreadful to spy on our own children. You've a right to privacy like anyone else.'"
- class: technocrats and governmental officials, professionals, city dwellers
- the ability to reason
- pp. 56-7 - "'We can teach it about the physical world, but we can't teach it about life...love, loyalty, kindness, joy, compassion, courage, fear, envy, anger, loss...You can't teach those things in computer simulations.'"
- the energy crisis - pp. 62-3
- p. 66-7 - "'When I was your age, Fleur, everything seemed to be collapsing about us. Our food no longer nourished us, we couldn't move for traffic, the rivers and sees were polluted, trees were dying, there were floods and earthquakes and hurricanes and drought...Much of it was our fault. And while people all over the world were getting richer, a lot of the poor were getting poorer. Some people went on buying and buying things they didn't really need as if that were the answer to all our problems...My mum and dad did their best. They decided that what mattered in life was thier family, their friends, and helping others. Lots of people thought the same and they tried to live more simply...When I grew up, I didn't think they'd done enough.There were thousands of us, young people...we demanded healthy food, clean air, but most of all a fairer system...Then the petrol began to run out and the real changes began. The air grew cleaner...'"
- friendship
- truth and honesty versus lies
- what makes us "alive," and what makes us "dead"? - the cycle of "life"- p. 88 - "'How can we know about death before we die?...how can you have a good death without a good life?'"
- p. 89 - "'Without questions, how will we ever know?'"
- the ethics of robotics - p. 96 - "'A robot must never harm, or allow harm to be done to, a human being. A robot must never do anything that might endanger a human being. A robot must not harm itself or another robot, unless the other robot is endangering a human being.'"
- p. 99 - "'You were ignorant of the facts and now you know better? This is a step toward the good life.'"
- p. 135 - "'...no one's starving or homeless these days...But there are still things we need to fight for...Freedom. The freedom to do or say what we want, to travel and live where we want, to choose our won jobs, to build things for ourselves...'"
- the value of art
- p. 182 - "'We robots cannot be programmed to know everything...Therefore we must learn, and learning involves mistakes. The same is true for humans, I believe.'"
- pp. 194-5 - pollution and recycling - "Decades of twentieth century plastic...bags, toys, bowls, pens, computers, light fittings, shoes, jewelry, toothpaste tubes, nappies...All waiting to be dug up and turned back into oil...'What happens to waist now?'...'We send it into outer space, way beyond the earth's orbit.'"
- p. 201 - "'You're sort of alive because you can see and thing and talk and move...But if you mean alive like the trees, then no, you're not. You see, we're organisms and we can reproduce ourselves, and you're a machine.'"
- p. 207 - "'We humans are a stupid lot...making a fuss about a machine. There must be something about the way we're made....'"
- p.211 - "'It is a thought that animals are not aware that they exist. At least, they cannot reflect on their actions.'"
- p. 212 - "'...we are talking about free will...I'm talking about choices...Whether we are really free to act or whether some greater is controlling our actions.'"
- p. 244 - the discussion of the story of Icarus - "'I see it as a lesson to us all. Sometimes we have to fly close to the sun because part of being human is to reach for things beyond us. The secret is to know when to stop.'"
- artificial intelligence
- who controls the media and the information that we receive
- the power of large corporations - p. 254 - "'It's a sorry tale of ambition and hubris.'"
- knowing the difference between right and wrong
- p.258 - "'Memories shape who we are. Most of us adults feel a yearning for at least part of our "lost world."'"
Technologies that intended readers might find interesting (though we have many technologies similar to these that include:
- a house that has the capability of watching its occupants
- robots - p.13 - "'We weren't the first robots, of course. Did you know, we go back to the twentieth century? My ancestors used to assemble cars and television sets. They couldn't think, mind you...They just did the same repetitive task.'"
- gobetweens
- gobeys
- delivery pods
- jinns
- hoverbusses
- moving walls
- simulations
- telepathy
- radio transmitters
- scanner
- cars that drive themselves
Aimed at middle school readers, there is some pretty sophisticated stuff going on here. For instance, Gavin and Eager spend a lot of time on the "gobetween" speaking to the philosopher, Sophocles. Most middle schoolers will have little knowledge of Sophocles and his philosophy.Though the basic warning about the dangers of technology will be clear to middle schoolers (p.253 - "'It's the old story, isn't it? The robot that turns against its creator. We love to scare ourselves...'"), much of the thematic material here is complex and difficult as well. In addition, much of the technology that the author accurately predicted would be apart of our future, has arrived (though the names are not the same), or we are on the brink of seeing these technologies as reality. In this sense, "Eager" feels a bit dated for the 2016 reader. Finally, American readers may find the British terminology ("lorry" and "petrol," for example) confusing.
On the positive side, there is some humor that readers may appreciate. The characters, especially Eager and the Bells, are generally endearing as well.
Just O.K. for me in 2016.
October 17, 2024
kazuo ishiguro wants what helen fox has
just kidding but seriously for a kids book this touches on some great points like what the line is between computer intelligence and humans, what consciousness and free will are, the role of computers in our society, and it pokes fun at its own philosophizing. oh also class disparities and the way the lower class is unfairly affected by environmental destruction. at the same time it was super fun to read, just as fun as i remember, and i felt like a kid again, unable to take my eyes away because i had to know what happened next! def some unanswered questions at the end but nothing glaring and i see now that there are sequels (never knew this as a kid!) genuinely loved reading this again
reminiscing reading challenge #2
rating: 5 stars
just kidding but seriously for a kids book this touches on some great points like what the line is between computer intelligence and humans, what consciousness and free will are, the role of computers in our society, and it pokes fun at its own philosophizing. oh also class disparities and the way the lower class is unfairly affected by environmental destruction. at the same time it was super fun to read, just as fun as i remember, and i felt like a kid again, unable to take my eyes away because i had to know what happened next! def some unanswered questions at the end but nothing glaring and i see now that there are sequels (never knew this as a kid!) genuinely loved reading this again
reminiscing reading challenge #2
rating: 5 stars
September 13, 2018
This was an amazing book I really liked it it had a lot of good detail of what was happening in each chapter. It is very futuristic and I really like the style of the book. It has a chill vibe. My rating for this book is a 4 because it could have been more of a challenge to read. I highly recommend this book to everyone, because it is a really good book.
February 2, 2020
It was an awesome book.
August 5, 2016
In this future world, robots are ubiquitous. Even your house talks to you. Gavin and Fleur may come from a middle class family, but even they have a family robot. But Eager is not like any other robot - he can think for himself and even has feelings. As Eager tries to understand the human world around him, Gavin and Fleur notice that the new ultra high-tech BDC4 robots are acting suspiciously. Now Gavin, Fleur, and Eager are drawn into a menacing world where robots and humans may not be as compatible as they once believed.
There aren't many robot-based science fiction novels for middle grades readers, and this one sets a high standard for future entries. First published in 2003, this novel has one key element that you would expect (What if robots turned on humans?), but it is far from predictable. Helen Fox creates a world that is fully believable and lot of fun.
I read three-quarters of this book in one sitting. That's how good it was. Helen Fox packs so many interesting details in these 280 pages that I was totally and quickly sucked in. From a failing robot accidentally preparing tomato soup at breakfast, to Eager's attempt to clean Baby Charlotte in the clothes washer. Eager is both humorous and dark.
Fox's world development is equally impressive. This future world has eliminated homelessness, but the gap between rich and poor is more vast than ever, with people carefully segregated into neighborhoods by career. The new technology invented by Fox adds color and reminds the reader that there are some cool things coming our way. Our characters enjoy full-body virtual reality and some really fun simulated learning environments.
And then there's the danger. The newly released high-tech robots are incredibly creepy. And the humans that love them without question are even creepier. When both humans and robots find themselves in danger, the reader can't dare to look away.
This book is a real page-turner and will have readers totally hooked on the world of robots, the adorable Eager, and the palpable dangers permeating every page.
4.5 stars
There aren't many robot-based science fiction novels for middle grades readers, and this one sets a high standard for future entries. First published in 2003, this novel has one key element that you would expect (What if robots turned on humans?), but it is far from predictable. Helen Fox creates a world that is fully believable and lot of fun.
I read three-quarters of this book in one sitting. That's how good it was. Helen Fox packs so many interesting details in these 280 pages that I was totally and quickly sucked in. From a failing robot accidentally preparing tomato soup at breakfast, to Eager's attempt to clean Baby Charlotte in the clothes washer. Eager is both humorous and dark.
Fox's world development is equally impressive. This future world has eliminated homelessness, but the gap between rich and poor is more vast than ever, with people carefully segregated into neighborhoods by career. The new technology invented by Fox adds color and reminds the reader that there are some cool things coming our way. Our characters enjoy full-body virtual reality and some really fun simulated learning environments.
And then there's the danger. The newly released high-tech robots are incredibly creepy. And the humans that love them without question are even creepier. When both humans and robots find themselves in danger, the reader can't dare to look away.
This book is a real page-turner and will have readers totally hooked on the world of robots, the adorable Eager, and the palpable dangers permeating every page.
4.5 stars
April 22, 2011
Although "Eager" is a really cute book, it's not for everyone. It is set in future times when no one has cars, but everyone has personal robots! The fridge orders food when it recognizes a shortage, children go, not to school, but a place called the Learning Center, where you choose your courses daily. When I read this I thought of "The Giver" stories, because of how controlled everything was. I liked the book but I felt sort of distant because I couldn't really understand anything of that time zone. If everything gets that advanced, I hope I'm not around to see it! =)
Read
February 25, 2013I am currently reading the book Eager. It takes place at the end of the 21st century. People have robots as butlers. The Bells get a new butler because their old doesn't work as well as it used to. The title comes from the new robots name.
April 2, 2012
A great book about artificial intelligence--it makes you wonder what's artificial if the robot can think and learn to do things on its own.
October 19, 2021
Ouch. Eager really left me disappointed. I can’t tell you how annoyed I was when I discovered it was so boring. I had high hopes for this book. I am usually a fan of sci-fi but this was just not ok. I just can’t believe how bad this is. I’ve read plenty of other books by Helen Fox but this is just inconceivable. Eager was written by Helen Fox. The story is narrated in third person by an unknown person. It is set in the future where a family adopts a robot who learns on his own like a human. The family is thinking of trading their old robot. Spoiler alert: it’s really boring. First off, the beginning starts off really slow and unquestionably hard to get into. The character the book is named after isn’t even mentioned in around a third into the book. It was way too much time introducing all the characters instead of starting the actual story. Another dilemma with the pace of the story is that it went through the Bell’s family day to day life on every page. It was fine for a bit, getting to know their schedule, but 7-8 chapters of it is insanely monotonous. Honestly, it was way too slow for me. Another considerable obstacle was the word choice. No interesting words for the first half of the book, except the occasional futuristic word that I couldn’t understand. Which brings me to the third problem. A futuristic book is cool, but hard to impossible to understand. A lot of the tech used in their lives throughout the book had weird names and left me confused and kinda left me thinking if this was the right book for me. Also could have been a bit more challenging to read. Which leaves me confused about the intended age group. The book is way too boring for anyone who has an attention span of less than a week, leaving anyone under 13 out of the question, but this book is an easy read for adults. Too easy. My opinion, ⅖ stars, don’t read.
October 31, 2018
I think this book had a great concept and viewpoint on how Helen might see the world in the future. I think even just having robots as butlers sounds crazy let alone a robot that learns for itself and thinks for itself just like humans do is just bizarre. Gavin, the main character is interested in robots and things like that because his dad builds things for this big company and he is curious with what his dad does. Gavin and his dad went to a professor's house and are asked to be a family for a robot that is smart enough to learn as humans can also do. This is very interesting and futuristic. Gavin and Mr Bell take the offer because they need a new robot to help grumps (their old butler robot) out but not completely replace him. Eager begins to learn from his mistakes quickly as Gavin is learning as well, these two get close like best friends. This is kind of cool to think about, someday maybe you can actually be friends with a robot that has its own thoughts and can move just like your human friends can do. Eager and Gavin start noticing these brand new state of the art robots having secret meetings with each other and Gavin and Eager decide to investigate these robots and why they're having meetings with each other. This book is pretty good, it's not very attention grabbing so you're just reading and trying to put stuff together because you don't feel like you're in the book like some other books. Otherwise it's futuristic if you're into that stuff. That's it read to find out the ending.
February 16, 2019
It’s a science fiction, futuristic tale set in the 21st century where those who rule are known as technocrats. In this universe robots attend to the need of humans and have even displaced some out of jobs. Even your house takes care of you. In the Bell family, their robot Grumps is getting old and out dated so a friend let’s them used a prototype EGR3 robot to help. Later called Eager. This robot is unique compared to the old ones where he can learn from his experiences and grow from them, “feeling” emotions. His new abilities become tested as he discovers who he is, what his duty is, and tries to understand the world around him. Though there is suspicious activity going on with the more sophisticated bots and questions about the artificial intelligence arises.
Review:
I feel like this book is aimed more towards middle school readers. I liked the ideas of the developed world but felt like there could’ve been better creation of a world and connection between the details and living situations. It is more philosophical than I was expecting, asking questions about what is right and wrong, what is death, what happens after death, what is being alive? It was an okay read. The characters were colorless. It’s not a very attention-grabbing book and you have to put things together as you read it can be confusing, but it was a cute book and has though provoking moments.
Content Warnings:
None
Review:
I feel like this book is aimed more towards middle school readers. I liked the ideas of the developed world but felt like there could’ve been better creation of a world and connection between the details and living situations. It is more philosophical than I was expecting, asking questions about what is right and wrong, what is death, what happens after death, what is being alive? It was an okay read. The characters were colorless. It’s not a very attention-grabbing book and you have to put things together as you read it can be confusing, but it was a cute book and has though provoking moments.
Content Warnings:
None
June 10, 2020
As a life long Science Fiction reader, I’m eager to introduce my grandchildren to the genre. Best Sci Fi books for kids had this book in the list and said that it would be suitable for 8 – 12 year olds.
Eager is an engaging and spirited story that features both young sister and brother protagonists and a very likable robot. The details about how old they are or where or when in the future this story takes place are all left up to the reader’s imagination.
The main themes of this book is about what makes intelligence in people different than robots and how the two should interact. Other themes include economic inequality, science and morality, family interactions, government and big business, friendships, honesty, and compassion. Wow - really big topics for a young readers book but Helen Fox pulls it all off without being condescending to kids or minimizing of their intelligence.
This book was written in 2003 but is not dated in any way. Some of the vocabulary is a little beyond second and third grade but that is what dictionaries, touch screens, and parents are for :-)
The science is a little sloppy and the ending a little simplistic but bear in mind that it is a young readers book. The action, interactions, and societal and psychological questions more than make up for these. Besides, how many young reader books do you know where the main character has a VR conversation with Socrates!
Eager is an engaging and spirited story that features both young sister and brother protagonists and a very likable robot. The details about how old they are or where or when in the future this story takes place are all left up to the reader’s imagination.
The main themes of this book is about what makes intelligence in people different than robots and how the two should interact. Other themes include economic inequality, science and morality, family interactions, government and big business, friendships, honesty, and compassion. Wow - really big topics for a young readers book but Helen Fox pulls it all off without being condescending to kids or minimizing of their intelligence.
This book was written in 2003 but is not dated in any way. Some of the vocabulary is a little beyond second and third grade but that is what dictionaries, touch screens, and parents are for :-)
The science is a little sloppy and the ending a little simplistic but bear in mind that it is a young readers book. The action, interactions, and societal and psychological questions more than make up for these. Besides, how many young reader books do you know where the main character has a VR conversation with Socrates!
February 20, 2019
A dystopian page-turner for middle-grade readers, Eager starts out being high suspense but ends up fizzling about halfway through. Eager, an experimental robot, goes to live with the Bell family in a not-so-distant dystopian future. The society that the Bells live in is run by the government and technology scientists (the technocrats). All city jobs have been replaced by robots, leaving city dwellers to squander. Every household has a help-robot--which primary function seems to be domestic duties and taking care of children. While this book is extremely relevant in the current dichotomous climate of fear and obsession with A.I., Fox had a difficult time keeping my attention once all of my questions about Eager's community were being left unanswered. A prequel to this book would be a welcome addition to the series, particularly if it addressed the following questions: Why does everyone have a home robot? Why are all of the jobs done by robots--is this government mandated? Is it to save costs? Are the robots being used to address the briefly mentioned environmental crisis? I was left wanting to understand more about why this society is built the way it is, and why this particular moment in history is the one that the author chose to focus on. Would recommend for 4th-7th graders as an introduction to the dystopian genre.
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December 4, 2015Title: Eager
Author: Helen Fox
Genre: Science Fiction
Theme(s): Technology Dependence, Death, Loyalty, Emotions
Opening line/sentence: “EGR3 stood in the small dark room and watched the sea. It tumbled and roared below him.”
Brief Book Summary: The setting of this story takes place at the end of the 21st century, where the Bell family is the center focus. They have a house that cleans itself, and robots that complete the housework. At the beginning of the book, the reader is introduced the family’s fifteen year old robot, Grumps, who is slowly deteriorating and cannot fulfill the same job he used to. For example, he continuously serves soup for breakfast, simply because he is so old that his software is withering away. The father of the family, Mr. Bell, works for Life Corp, which is the company that provides families with the robots that tend to their every day needs. His company begins to produce a new model robot, which is intended to be the most intelligent robot to date. It is called the BDC4, and its slogan is, “Robot by name, friend by nature.” However, this new model is extremely expensive, and the Bells luck out and receive an experimental model named, EGR3. This robot is different because he is programmed to learn tasks and emotions from watching others, much like a human child. The reader is exposed to EGR3’s emotions and real feelings towards life, especially when he encompasses the realization of death. He notices that humans throw away and de-program robots that do not work to their liking, and he becomes worried about the concept of death. Additionally, people begin to worry about the new BDC4 models because they are acting strange. They even begin to hold people hostage. EGR3 came to the rescue when he figured out how he could pick up on the signals of the BDC4’s, and pulled them over to the edge of a cliff where they all plummeted to their death. Afterward, Mr. Bell ponders the idea of creating all robots like EGR3 from here on out.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Horn Book Guide
281 pp. Random/Lamb 2004. ISBN 0-385-74672-5 LE ISBN 0-385-90903-9
(1) 4-6 The Bell family's new robot, Eager, has been programmed to experience the world much like a child, learning and growing from each new adventure. Eager experiences joy, sadness, and--in helping Gavin and Fleur Bell investigate a new breed of robots that are staging a revolt--discovers his own courage and bravery. The endearing Eager makes a memorable, and occasionally poignant, protagonist.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2004 (Vol. 72, No. 10))
The Jetsons in a lightweight dystopia. In siblings Fleur and Gavin's world, where robots do all of the manual labor, there's no starvation or homelessness. Still, something is wrong in their class-stratified society. Like all professional families, theirs has a sentient house and a robot butler. They don't have the latest technology reserved for the wealthy technocrats who work for LifeCorp, but at least they don't live in the city with all those made unemployable by robot labor. Their parents decide to replace the faithful but flaky robot butler Grumps, so maybe Fleur and Gavin won't be so embarrassed in front of their technocrat friends who have fancy new BDC-4 robots. Grumps's replacement is the experimental prototype Eager-a robot who has been programmed to think instead of following orders. While contemplating the definition of life, Eager, Gavin, and Fleur discover something frightening about the BDC-4 robots and about LifeCorp in general. While Eager's adventure isn't thrilling, his discoveries about life, formed through amusing conversations with virtual reality Socrates, are thought-provoking. 2004, Wendy Lamb/Random, 208p, $15.95. Category: Science fiction. Ages 9 to 13. © 2004 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
(PUBLISHER: Wendy Lamb Books (New York:), PUBLISHED: 2004.)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I cannot agree more with both of these reviews! I have not ever found a particular interest in science fiction, but this book changed my mind. I related this book to a much more child like interpretation of A Brave New World, which I read in high school. This dystopian world showed the benefits and detriments of having robots and technology such a prevalent aspect of every day life. I fell in love with Eager, because he was the underdog by default. He was unlike the other robots, but in the end his difference is what ultimately saved the humans from the BDC4s. I also agreed that this book was absolutely thought provoking. It pushed me to think about my opinion on technology dependence in my own life, and how I want to possibly change that in the future.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The personification in this chapter book created a real life experience for the reader. With Eager having thoughts and feelings, the reader was able to relate to the emotions he portrayed throughout the book. Additionally, the author effectively incorporated the concept of death by including the process of how humans get rid of robots they no longer need. Eager quickly picked up on this, and contemplated how he would prepare for death in his own life. This is a mature theme that Fox creatively incorporated in this book for readers in the upper elementary grades.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I would assign this book to a fourth grade classroom and hold discussions at different points in the book. For example, once the students have read the first seven chapters I would arrange the desks in a large circle so the class could discuss what they thought of the book thus far. As the teacher, I would facilitate some of the discussion if the class became quiet. The students would be able to hypothesis their thoughts on where the book was headed through the discussions, and even pick up on the themes and motifs that are introduced along the way. Collaboration and communication are two ways that discussions benefit the students in their overall understanding of the text.
July 10, 2017
This was another fun sci-fi story for young adults. How long can I keep reading these with the excuse of reading them to screen them for my daughter :-) ?
This story is set in the future in a time where everybody has a personal robot, or more. The protagonists of this story are a middle class family whose current robot is starting to fail -- his "time" is off, so he is serving dinner at breakfast, etc. They go to a friend/professor to ask what to do, and he gives them the prototype of his newest invention - a robot that needs to "learn" and experience life. The prof is hoping the robot will gain new knowledge being in a new environment w/ real people.
In the meantime, all the upper class (technocrats) have the latest model robot from the big corporation.
The book is well written, and exciting. There are a few things that happen that are somewhat unbelievable. And the ending is a bit confusing.
It does make you think a little, about what could happen if robots became more like humans. But I believe this is a first novel and seems almost a little naive. Still worth the read.
This story is set in the future in a time where everybody has a personal robot, or more. The protagonists of this story are a middle class family whose current robot is starting to fail -- his "time" is off, so he is serving dinner at breakfast, etc. They go to a friend/professor to ask what to do, and he gives them the prototype of his newest invention - a robot that needs to "learn" and experience life. The prof is hoping the robot will gain new knowledge being in a new environment w/ real people.
In the meantime, all the upper class (technocrats) have the latest model robot from the big corporation.
The book is well written, and exciting. There are a few things that happen that are somewhat unbelievable. And the ending is a bit confusing.
It does make you think a little, about what could happen if robots became more like humans. But I believe this is a first novel and seems almost a little naive. Still worth the read.
March 22, 2018
I feel like the ending was really appropriate for how eager felt at the beginning of the story to how he feels at the end. From the beginning eager just wanted to figure out his place in the Bell's family and at the end that's what he finds. The beginning had a slow start but less then halfway through the book has got you hooked. The social/principled themes are there throughout the whole book, but not overwhelmingly so that the story gets confusing. The story is set way in the future and it's interesting to read how it got to that point, also a bit scary since it feels like we are getting to that point more and more. The overall concept of the book was portrayed in an eye-opening way, the different concepts that were integrated into the story through the emotions of every character in this book. Overall this is an awesome book to read.
April 16, 2018
Eager is a new kind of robot that can learn and think for himself. This is an adorable book about Eager trying to do what is right and how to help his family. Not only that but Eager has to try and help stop the other robots from rebelling against humans. I really enjoyed reading this book because Eager is such a lovable character. I think that the author did a really great job of writing about different models of robots and what they can do, there is Eager who has the ability to learn and then the older robot models that just do what they are told and are not allowed to learn. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about futuristic settings or to anyone that likes to read about robots. I do not know if this book would be one I use to teach but I would for sure recommend it to students, especially the ones that would like science fiction.
March 31, 2021
The future with robots working for families. The Bells occupy a middle ground. Enough money for a robot but not a good one. Their old butler model is beginning to glitch. Mr. Bell talks to a colleague who gives the family an experimental new model, Eager. Eager is unlike other robots. He doesn’t have the prime directive built in. He is supposed to learn as a human child would. As they are working on him, the latest and greatest super robots owned by the upper class have begun to act strangely. Gavin and his sister, Fleur, get suspicious. Grumps, their old model, is destroyed when someone or something try to get their hands on Eager. The fancy new robots have been loaded with personalities of the dead and do not have the prime directive, serve humans and do no harm. They kidnap a human. Bells and Eager save the day.
Will be good for lower el and upper as a read aloud.
Will be good for lower el and upper as a read aloud.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2018
As a parent i enjoyed reading this book with my son. I thought the philosophical and ethical themes were subtle and age appropriate. Fox manages to make the robots endearing and the world she imagines is conceivable. It teeters on the edge of the dystopian genre but it lacks the depth and sophistication to pull this off.
I agree the ending is a little anti-climactic but i think the author was making room for a sequel. Personally i find that to be an irritating feature of elementary/ young adult novels. Never just one book- always a series!!
A good not great book but certainly a worthwhile upper el read.
I agree the ending is a little anti-climactic but i think the author was making room for a sequel. Personally i find that to be an irritating feature of elementary/ young adult novels. Never just one book- always a series!!
A good not great book but certainly a worthwhile upper el read.
August 19, 2023
A wonderful story about a cute robot, a robot who might be the first self-aware robot. This story gets a little outdated considering the advancements in robotics and AI that happened since this story was published, but it is still a great exploration into what really makes sentience. Although Eager himself is a great character, there are more robots around, the BDCs, who fall into the uncanny valley. The reason why they seem human is because of transplanted memories, and I don’t think transplanted memories would work that way. But besides any propaganda, the author crafted a very interesting world with a great story and good characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2018
This sweet work of fiction for mature middle grade readers should be on every adult shelf.
We blindly embrace every new and better technology, but should we?
Without spoiling the story, I will say that the past few years I have been overwhelmed with messages of positive thinking, and sometimes I feel that my skepticism in certain situations is viewed as negativity. This story is the classic illustration of why critical thinking is so necessary, and why we need troubleshooters as part of design processes, and really, in all aspects of life.
We blindly embrace every new and better technology, but should we?
Without spoiling the story, I will say that the past few years I have been overwhelmed with messages of positive thinking, and sometimes I feel that my skepticism in certain situations is viewed as negativity. This story is the classic illustration of why critical thinking is so necessary, and why we need troubleshooters as part of design processes, and really, in all aspects of life.
December 29, 2019
Set in the future when intelligent robots are a part of every day life, a new kind of robot is sent to the Bell's house to help their old robot remember things better. Gavin hits it off with Eager, but other family members take a little bit more time to warm up to him. There are some great themes about social/economical classes and using local sourced food. I didn't really feel that connected to the characters or to Eager. It picked up about halfway through the book. Fans of robots would enjoy this book. 5th grade and up. No swears, some mild robot violence.
October 2, 2022
Ok now that's the way to do it. All the thought-provoking Sense of Wonder and What If, along with social commentary and questions of 'who is people' ... for kids! And for the young at heart. And for those of us looking for fewer tropes* and more imagination.
I will absolutely look for more by the author. I see there's a sequel; it doesn't really need one but still, yay.
*For example the mean girl and the evil mega-corporation weren't... they were people, too, just a bit more self-centered and short-sighted than our heroes.
I will absolutely look for more by the author. I see there's a sequel; it doesn't really need one but still, yay.
*For example the mean girl and the evil mega-corporation weren't... they were people, too, just a bit more self-centered and short-sighted than our heroes.
April 21, 2024
Nice story for a quick read. Yes Adults you can read this too.
AI is part of current world worries so it will remain pertinent & contemporary.
Fairly elemental, written with a hint of machine like manner which was nice. The ending is rather philosophical and cuts straight to heart of the matter. It really should turn out that way if allowed. It's the "if allowed" part you have to worry about though. Needless to say most eschatologies end the world as we know it because the evil took over, thus requiring a reboot, so lets say it's still iffy.
AI is part of current world worries so it will remain pertinent & contemporary.
Fairly elemental, written with a hint of machine like manner which was nice. The ending is rather philosophical and cuts straight to heart of the matter. It really should turn out that way if allowed. It's the "if allowed" part you have to worry about though. Needless to say most eschatologies end the world as we know it because the evil took over, thus requiring a reboot, so lets say it's still iffy.
April 17, 2019
"The author seemed to get bored with writing the novel halfway through." Even though I enjoyed this book, I can't help but feel the same way as the Goodreads reviewer who wrote that. I do think there is a bit too much going on and that the author was a bit too eager (ha) to make the book's environment discrete from our current world; plus, the ending felt rather rushed. It's hard not to love Eager and Grumps, though, and the reconciliation of Fleur and Marcia is nice.
Read
August 9, 2016Title: Eager
Author: Helen Fox
Genre: Science Fiction
Theme(s): technology, humanity, robots, the future, free will
Opening line/sentence:
“EGR3 stood in the small dark room and watched the sea.”
Brief Book Summary:
Eager is a robot that Gavin’s family gets when their old one starts to malfunction. He is not as sleek looking as other new robots and he takes a while to understand the world. Gavin, his sister, and Eager discover that the new sleek robots are planning a rebellion against the humans and must stop it.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Kirkus Review
The Jetsons in a lightweight dystopia. In siblings Fleur and Gavin’s world, where robots do all of the manual labor, there’s no starvation or homelessness. Still, something is wrong in their class-stratified society. Like all professional families, theirs has a sentient house and a robot butler. They don’t have the latest technology reserved for the wealthy technocrats who work for LifeCorp, but at least they don’t live in the city with all those made unemployable by robot labor. Their parents decide to replace the faithful but flaky robot butler Grumps, so maybe Fleur and Gavin won’t be so embarrassed in front of their technocrat friends who have fancy new BDC-4 robots. Grumps’s replacement is the experimental prototype Eager—a robot who has been programmed to think instead of following orders. While contemplating the definition of life, Eager, Gavin, and Fleur discover something frightening about the BDC-4 robots and about LifeCorp in general. While Eager’s adventure isn’t thrilling, his discoveries about life, formed through amusing conversations with virtual reality Socrates, are thought-provoking. (Science fiction. 9-13)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Kids Reads
Gavin and Fleur Bell live in a house that wakes them, watches them, protects them, and feeds them. It's the end of the 21st century in England, and EAGER is full of fascinating details of life in the future: clothes and rooms that change color, wristwatch telephone/computers called "jinns," houses that rearrange themselves, and much more. Yet people remain similar to today, with the same emotional makeup. The Bell family's robot butler, Grumps, is no longer working properly. He's an older model and is wearing out, serving the family tomato soup for breakfast and otherwise acting oddly. Unfortunately, he's not repairable. Grumps tells us in a poignant scene what it's like to have the house tell him that his family wants to replace him. Fleur and Gavin wonder what kind of new robot they'll get: will he be a tall Greek goddess-like BDC4? Or a soft speaking "monk" model? Mr. Bell works for the most important agency in the world --- LifeCorp, a company providing transport, food, water, learning centers, and other necessary functions. Technology eases the lives of the people. Robots do most menial work. However, technology also threatens people since robot workers cause many human workers to be unemployed. Professor Ogden, a friend of Mr. Bell's, gives the Bells a robot named EGR3. "Eager" is the professor's latest invention, and he'd like it to be in a family setting. Eager will actually be Grumps's assistant. The two robots are completely different. Eager thinks for himself, is curious, feels emotions, and is intellectual. The Bells' new robot realizes humans "kill" robots they no longer need; he becomes obsessed with death. In the meantime, Gavin learns of an underground movement against the all-controlling LifeCorp, while Fleur's best friend replaces her with a robot pal. Gavin, Fleur, and Eager notice advanced robots called BDC4s holding secret meetings and otherwise acting strangely. Of course, they must investigate. This is a stunningly good novel with a quick plot. The characters --- human and techno --- are believable and sympathetic, raising intriguing questions about robots and morality. A thread of ominously building suspense makes the book hard to put down. If we're lucky, there will be a sequel to EAGER. Very highly recommended!
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
Both reviews talk about the important discoveries about life the characters in the book make, which I think was a major part of the book as well. Both reviews also talk about the idea that Eager is a robot that thinks for himself like a human, and the effects that has on him. The second review talks about the suspense in the book, which plays a major role in making it a quick read and page turner.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The font is fairly large so there are not too many words per page to discourage students from picking this book up. There are no illustrations, but the bright cover and friendly looking robot on the cover really draw readers in. The vocabulary is simple enough to understand, and when new words are introduced there are always a number on context clues to help readers decipher what words mean.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
I think a fun activity to do with this book would be to have students try to design and build their own robots in some way. Technology and robots are a major part of the book, so it would be interesting to see how student’s interpret that given the chance to create or design their own robot.
Author: Helen Fox
Genre: Science Fiction
Theme(s): technology, humanity, robots, the future, free will
Opening line/sentence:
“EGR3 stood in the small dark room and watched the sea.”
Brief Book Summary:
Eager is a robot that Gavin’s family gets when their old one starts to malfunction. He is not as sleek looking as other new robots and he takes a while to understand the world. Gavin, his sister, and Eager discover that the new sleek robots are planning a rebellion against the humans and must stop it.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Kirkus Review
The Jetsons in a lightweight dystopia. In siblings Fleur and Gavin’s world, where robots do all of the manual labor, there’s no starvation or homelessness. Still, something is wrong in their class-stratified society. Like all professional families, theirs has a sentient house and a robot butler. They don’t have the latest technology reserved for the wealthy technocrats who work for LifeCorp, but at least they don’t live in the city with all those made unemployable by robot labor. Their parents decide to replace the faithful but flaky robot butler Grumps, so maybe Fleur and Gavin won’t be so embarrassed in front of their technocrat friends who have fancy new BDC-4 robots. Grumps’s replacement is the experimental prototype Eager—a robot who has been programmed to think instead of following orders. While contemplating the definition of life, Eager, Gavin, and Fleur discover something frightening about the BDC-4 robots and about LifeCorp in general. While Eager’s adventure isn’t thrilling, his discoveries about life, formed through amusing conversations with virtual reality Socrates, are thought-provoking. (Science fiction. 9-13)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Kids Reads
Gavin and Fleur Bell live in a house that wakes them, watches them, protects them, and feeds them. It's the end of the 21st century in England, and EAGER is full of fascinating details of life in the future: clothes and rooms that change color, wristwatch telephone/computers called "jinns," houses that rearrange themselves, and much more. Yet people remain similar to today, with the same emotional makeup. The Bell family's robot butler, Grumps, is no longer working properly. He's an older model and is wearing out, serving the family tomato soup for breakfast and otherwise acting oddly. Unfortunately, he's not repairable. Grumps tells us in a poignant scene what it's like to have the house tell him that his family wants to replace him. Fleur and Gavin wonder what kind of new robot they'll get: will he be a tall Greek goddess-like BDC4? Or a soft speaking "monk" model? Mr. Bell works for the most important agency in the world --- LifeCorp, a company providing transport, food, water, learning centers, and other necessary functions. Technology eases the lives of the people. Robots do most menial work. However, technology also threatens people since robot workers cause many human workers to be unemployed. Professor Ogden, a friend of Mr. Bell's, gives the Bells a robot named EGR3. "Eager" is the professor's latest invention, and he'd like it to be in a family setting. Eager will actually be Grumps's assistant. The two robots are completely different. Eager thinks for himself, is curious, feels emotions, and is intellectual. The Bells' new robot realizes humans "kill" robots they no longer need; he becomes obsessed with death. In the meantime, Gavin learns of an underground movement against the all-controlling LifeCorp, while Fleur's best friend replaces her with a robot pal. Gavin, Fleur, and Eager notice advanced robots called BDC4s holding secret meetings and otherwise acting strangely. Of course, they must investigate. This is a stunningly good novel with a quick plot. The characters --- human and techno --- are believable and sympathetic, raising intriguing questions about robots and morality. A thread of ominously building suspense makes the book hard to put down. If we're lucky, there will be a sequel to EAGER. Very highly recommended!
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
Both reviews talk about the important discoveries about life the characters in the book make, which I think was a major part of the book as well. Both reviews also talk about the idea that Eager is a robot that thinks for himself like a human, and the effects that has on him. The second review talks about the suspense in the book, which plays a major role in making it a quick read and page turner.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The font is fairly large so there are not too many words per page to discourage students from picking this book up. There are no illustrations, but the bright cover and friendly looking robot on the cover really draw readers in. The vocabulary is simple enough to understand, and when new words are introduced there are always a number on context clues to help readers decipher what words mean.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
I think a fun activity to do with this book would be to have students try to design and build their own robots in some way. Technology and robots are a major part of the book, so it would be interesting to see how student’s interpret that given the chance to create or design their own robot.
October 31, 2019
A fantastic science fiction story about a family who tries to understand their family robot. Grumpy gets too old and now Eager joins the family. But wait. Why is Eager different? LifeCorp Inc. is a powerful company that creates and controls all robots. But do they...In the end, who will prevail, robots or man.
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