14 Robot Books for Kids
The last week of our Storybook Science series was all about robots, so I set out to find the best robot books for kids. This list includes our favorite books about robots. Do you have any to add to our list? I get commissions for purchases made through the affiliate links in this post.
Robot Books for Kids
Robo-Sauce by Adam Rubin. We received this book for review and it remains one of our favorites. In the story, a kid wants to be a robot because robots are so cool and don’t have to do homework or eat. The narrator teaches him the secret recipe (robo-sauce) to turn humans into robots. Just when you think the boy regrets his decision to become a robot, everything gets out of control. He turns his parents, his dog, and pretty much the whole world into robots. Then, the book turns into a robot and the story starts over in robot world. This is a fun read that everyone will find hilarious.
The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot by Magaret McNamara is one of my toddler’s current favorites. It’s basically the story of the three little pigs with aliens and a robot. Three little aliens live with their mother on Mercury. Their house is getting crowded, so she tells them to set off and find a new planet to live on. They travel the solar system looking for a home. They pass Venus (too hot) and Earth (too crowded). The first little alien makes her home in a rover on Mars. The second alien finds a satellite orbiting Saturn. The third alien builds a strong house on Neptune. Along comes the big bad robot tearing through the solar system. He attacks and destroys the house of the first and second little aliens. They seek refuge with their brother. Of course, the big bad robot attacks them there, too. What happens to the big bad robot? I’ll let you read the book to find out.
Check out how we used HEXBUG nano Junior robots for some storytelling inspired by The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot. The HEXBUG and my toddler play the role of the big bad robot.
Robots, Robots Everywhere! by Sue Fliess is a comprehensive guide to all things robot. Kids will love the illustrations and descriptions of all of the different bots. Robots make discoveries, help on the farm, build cars, and do other kinds of work. Robots can be pets and toys. Will they one day be playmates, too?
That’s Not My Robot by Fiona Watt. We love all of the That’s Not My… series of Touchy Feely Books. I’m planning on adding this one to our collection. Each page has a different texture to touch and a cute little mouse to find. Great for babies and toddlers (although my big kids still enjoy reading them with their little brother).
Star Wars BB-8 on the Run by Drew Daywalt (author of The Day the Crayons Quit). Ever wondered what happened BB-8 in between the time Poe leaves him on Jakku and Rey rescues him? This story fills in the blanks. BB-8 meets lots of strangers along the way and they all need his help. He’s torn between helping them or completing his mission. In the end, he is able to do both. Fans of the little astromech droid will love this story.
Awesome Dawson by Chris Gall reads like a comic book with bright colors, speech bubbles, and labels. My kids were immediately impressed by this book. Dawson is a kid inventor who makes new things out of trash. He is always busy creating and tinkering, but he doesn’t want to stop for chores. His solution is to invent a robot to clean up for him. The Vacu-Maniac does an excellent job – too good of a job actually. It starts sucking up everything. It’s up to Dawson to save the town.
Big Hero 6 by RH Disney. There are actually several books based on the characters of the Big Hero 6 movie. This one is a Little Golden Book based on the film. The book tells the story of Hiro Hamada, a 14-year-old robotics genius, and Baymax, an inflatable healthcare robot that his brother created. Together they join a superhero team on a mission to save their city. If your kids enjoy the Big Hero 6 movie, they’ll love reading about it, too.
I Spy a Runaway Robot by Dan Marzollo. My kids and I love I Spy books, so I have to add this short one to the list. In the story Spyler and CeCe want to build a robot to clean their room. You have to help them find the parts.
Ralph Masiello’s Robot Drawing Book is a great book for learning how to draw robots. My 8 year old likes the step by step instructions that use simple shapes and lines. Personalize your robots by learning how to draw things from the “Spare Parts Warehouse” – power sources, gauges, levers, screws, wires, antennae, and more!
Boy + Bot by Ame Dyckman is a cute story about a boy and a robot who meet one day in the woods. They are having fun playing until the robot gets turned off. The boy doesn’t know what happened to the robot. He tries lots of different ways to make him feel better. Being unsuccessful, he heads to bed. The robot gets turned back on only to find the boy asleep. He think the boy is broken and needs to be fixed.
Spy Toys by Marc Powers is the first book in a chapter book series perfect for young readers. We were sent a copy for review. It makes a great read aloud. I read this book to my 8 year old. In the story, Dan is a big robotic teddy bear. He’s supposed to specialize in giving hugs, but something went wrong at the toy factory and he’s too strong to be a gentle snuggly bear. He was sent to the reject pile where he meets Arabella. She’s a “Loadsasmiles Sunshine” doll who isn’t full of sunshine. Instead, she has a bit of a temper. Dan and Arabella eventually escape the toy factory and meet up with Flax – he’s a police robot rabbit that has gone AWOL. The misfit toys are recruited for a secret mission to protect a senator’s eight-year-old son from being kidnapped. They need to go undercover and pretend to be “normal” toys while watching out for the bad guy. Will the team be successful?
Pete the Cat: Robo-Pete by James Dean. Pete wants to play catch with his friends, but they have other plans. So Pete builds himself a robot friend. Robo-Pete plays whatever Pete wants and Pete seems to be having fun for a while. Then, Robo-Pete gets a little out of control. Pete realizes it’s fun to be with his friends no matter what they’re playing.
R is for Robot: A Noisy Alphabet by Adam F. Watkins. This is an alphabet book built by robots. They make silly and loud noises as they build their alphabet tower. From Ahoogah to Zap, it’s such a fun way to learn letters and sounds.
Earth Space Moon Base by Ben Joel Price. A spaceman, a robot, and a cheeky monkey are on a mission to protect Earth from hungry aliens. Crazily enough, their mission involves lots and lots of bananas. I’m including this book because it features a robot as one of the main characters and my kids think it’s quite funny.
What are your favorite robot books for kids? I’d love to find even more!
More Book Recommendations for Kids
- Top 10 Books for Beginning Readers
- Favorite Dragon Books for Kids
- 12 Great Animal Sound Books for Toddlers
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