AlphaBot

by Vicky Fang

Even the youngest robotocists will love flipping the flaps to create their own robot—while exploring a simple A to Z roundup of robotics terms.

Found your circuit-board head? Your voice-control torso? Your hydrojet feet? Hooray! You’ve made one of the 729 mix-and-match robots that are possible with this innovative flip-flap book. Alongside the bright and cheery illustrations of robot parts is a basic alphabetical listing of terms—from android to gears, neural network to program, wheels to Z-drive—and a basic definition of each. With a concealed spiral binding and sturdy card stock pages to hold up to enthusiastic flap-turning, AlphaBot is full of appeal for young robot lovers, preschoolers who love machines, and anyone looking for STEM books for the younger set. Back matter includes a brief explanation of the three key abilities of to sense, think, and act.

Genres: Picture Books, Technology, Stem, Childrens, Nonfiction

24 pages, Hardcover

Published September 12, 2023

About the author

Vicky Fang is the author of the Layla and the Bots chapter books series, the Best Buddies early reader series, the I Can Code board book series, and the picture book Invent-a-Pet. She is the author-illustrator of Friendbots, AlphaBot, and the forthcoming Ava Lin and One Mad Cat series. A former Google product designer, she now writes and illustrates children’s books full-time. Vicky Fang lives in California. You can learn more at vickyfang.com.

Reviews

[Melanie Ellsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much fun! Readers will love moving around the three sets of flaps (top, middle, and bottom) to create hundreds of different robots. It reminds me of the fashion plates we had as kids which allowed you to change the head/hair, the top, and the pants/skirt of the model. This book is also an alphabet book with each word teaching readers about various features of robots. Some of the terms are more sophisticated, like “Neural Network,” while others are simpler, like “Buttons,” so this is a read that will appeal to a variety of age levels, all the way from toddlers who enjoy turning flaps and creating different robots to adults who are learning technology terms alongside their children. The illustrations are clear and bright and help with understanding the terminology, making the science and technology concepts more accessible to younger readers. With cleverly-designed flaps and dynamic art that works in any combination of turns of the flaps, this is a book that readers are going to want to read over and over again. It’s easy to imagine this book in homes, schools, libraries, and after-school robotics and activities programs where kids will want to read the book and then create their own real-life robots!

[Jessica Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard not to be drawn to Alphabot. Even as an adult, I find it fun. There are three rows of flaps held together by a spiral binding, allowing for multiple layers of exploration and play. And though some of the words like “yaw” or “treads” may seem a bit far-reaching for young kids, they’re really not. This book will expand vocabularies and get little ones thinking about magnets and gears and neural networks.

Charming illustrations accompany words with clear definitions, making this a board book I wouldn’t hesitate gifting. Its heavy-duty construction means it should hold up to a lot of use, and I expect this one to get a lot of it.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young roboticists will BEEP over this new mix-and-match robot book. Sturdy pages are split into three flaps and arranged alphabetically so kids can learn all the parts of robot technology. From Android to Z-drive, the robot parts can be flipped to create practically endless variations of robots, while kids are learning and re-learning the components. Pleasing, simple digitally created images show friendly robots, and definitions are spot-on in for young learners. I felt that it helped me understand robot technology just a bit more.

[Jack Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This interactive book about the concepts and technologies behind robotics would make a wonderful addition to any curious young reader's library! I loved how author Vicky Fang manages to break down even complicated concepts (like "neural network"!) in simple but precise language; her cute and often-clever illustrations of these concepts, as robot parts, will be sure to engage kids' imaginations as much as the text engages their learning.

[Candy Wellins · Rating 5 out of 5]

What reader doesn’t love a lift-the-flap book? AlphaBot by @fangmousbooks is pretty genius. Readers get to learn all about robotics while customizing their very own robot! My 6yo reads this one endlessly and is always challenging herself to make the best, worst, funniest-looking robot. If you have a reader that loves technology or just creative play, this book is a must. #booksasgifts #read #kidslit #pb #robotics #robotbook #alphabetbook

[Carrie Finison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually learned a lot about robots while exploring this fun book! The book is made up of three sections that turn independently so that kids can choose different heads, torsos, and bases to make 729 possible robots, as each section covers a different letter of the alphabet. Each section (for example "OLED Screen" "Program" "Quadcoptor" shows an image related to the word, illustrated in a fun way, and gives a short, clear definition of the word. Colorful, and fun to use!

[Isabella Kung · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALPHABOT is an ingenious and fun way to introduce different parts of robot technology and termanology from A to Z. The interactive mix-and-match elements allow kids to create hundreds of variation, while learning simple terms like "Bottons" and "wheels" to sofisticated terms like "Neural Network" and "Circuit board". The descriptions are approachable and educational. The colorful and inviting artwork will keep young readers engaged and returning over and over again!

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alphabot is so much more than an Alphabet book! It’s an interactive toy that lets readers swap robot heads, bodies, and legs with every page turn, while learning simple definitions for some of the parts that make a robot work. Some of the words that get defined are “circuit board,” “gears,” “hydrojets,” and so many more! This book really hits all the buttons (“Buttons” is another word that’s defined in Alphabots!). It’s fun, interactive, and informative! A triple winner!

[Sarah Hovorka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a great interactive non-fiction book! This book has so many layers. It is organized by alphabet with modern scientific terms relevant to disciplines beyond robots. But the best part is that the split pages allow the reader to design multiple styles of robots with every flip of the page. What kid wouldn't delight in that? And it's sturdy construction. A sure winner!

[Aimee Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a novel and interactive book for young readers! The alphabetical terms about robots are described in a clear and inviting way and children will delight in creating their own transformations! Children AND adults will learn new vocabulary in this entertaining ABC book. In addition to being a fun family and classroom read, AlphaBot would make a great gift. I loved it!

[CK Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I am IN LOVE with Fang's newest offering, ALPHABOT, and its mix and match and all things interactive-ness I wish I had as a kid. When the reader lifts the different flaps on the robot in alphabetical style, we learn about robot parts as well as parts that interest both a STEM-interested child and one wondering about robots.

[A.J. Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALPHABOT by Vicky Fang is going to be a huge hit with kiddos! This interactive STEM novelty book explains robot parts from A to Z. Readers will have a blast creating 729 different robots through mix and match! The bright art and simple text will keep children engaged as they learn all about robots. Highly recommend!

[Abi Cushman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really clever novelty book for kids. As a STEM alphabet book, kids can learn about the different parts that go into a robot and get excited about making their own. As a novelty book, it's a really fun, interactive way for kids to customize their own robot designs. The wording is really clear and concise, and the illustrations are bright and fun. An all-around winner!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book for tech-minded kids! This novelty book, written and illustrated by Vicky Fang, allows readers to learn robot terms from A-Z, all while flipping and combining the pages to create different versions of robots. The illustrations are clean, bright, and fun, and there is some helpful back matter as well. I learned a few new terms myself!

[David McMullin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vicky Fang takes an interactive approach to learning about robots. Kids will love creating their own robots while learning about what makes them work. Each item from A to Z is clearly and simply described.

[Carrie Kruck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO clever. A STEM take on the mix-and-match flip books I always loved as a kid, AlphaBot is also an alphabet book full of robotic terminology. But most importantly, the robots are all adorable and fun and the possibilities feel endless!

[Rajani LaRocca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sure to be a hit with young scientists and robot lovers, this interactive novelty book explains robot parts from A to Z. With adorable illustrations and sectioned page parts to mix and match, this book offers endless hours of entertainment and education!

[Lisa Varchol Varchol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This interactive book is brilliantly designed to allow readers to mix and match and create their own robots. It is educational while also being full of fun (for kids and grownups alike!)

[Laura Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winning title from Mit Kids Press. This is one heck of an innovative lift the flap book. Perfect for the preschooler who loves machines and robots.

[Ashley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This creative and interactive book was a hit with my 5yo. He can come back to this book many, many times, to learn and have fun.

[Ana Siqueira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children will love to learn about all robot parts in a fun and interactive way. And then, they can mix and max parts to make their own fun robots. Interactive and instructive.

[Suzy Levinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a clever and beautiful book about robots! Interactive fun! Wonderfully informative for kids AND adults (like me)! I will be going back to this book again and again.

[Children's Literature Centre at FSU · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful and interactive book to teach children about robots and the alphabet at the same time! Children can create robots by mixing and matching robot parts from A-Z. 26 robot terms are included.