NanoBots

Starred review from May 30, 2016
Gall (the Dinotrux books) introduces miniature robots with infinite potential for adventures on and off the page. A “great inventor”—later pictured as a confident boy in round eyeglasses—builds the microscopic NanoBots, which have specialized shapes and functions. (Unlike the mostly-male Dinotrux, the NanoBots often are described with feminine pronouns.) MechanoBots, with various pincers and tools, “can fix anything, even in the hardest-to-reach places.” ChewBots, smaller than a paperclip and resembling golden garbage cans, eat pink bubblegum and other “nasty, icky stuff” to keep rooms clean. MediBot, a silver-white doctor, banishes “germy invaders” from a nostril, and a steely Lady Lance-o-Bot keeps garden insects away from tomatoes. At a creators’ convention, the NanoBots team up to repair a human-size robot, yet receive no recognition because they are “too small to be seen” by the judges, cementing ideas that small can be mighty and a job done well is its own reward. Gall’s precise illustrations, metallic palette, and ready-for-action heroes should captivate the imaginations of mechanically minded readers, as will closing notes about real-life uses of nanotechnology. Ages 4–8. Agent: Erica Rand Silverman, Sterling Lord Literistic.

May 15, 2016
A young, white inventor creates a team of microscopic robots, each with its own power, who discover that together they can solve problems, big or small.Meet the NanoBots, tiny machines that may just change the world. Gall (Dinotrux, 2009, etc.) once again pinpoints a high-interest market (robots + superheroes) as the basis for this appealing and sellable work. From ChewBots that can clean up oil spills to MediBots that are both doctor and prescription, these robots can do it all. But when they encounter a mega-robot, doubt creeps in until teamwork saves the day and confidence is restored. Visually based on the style of a woodblock print or etching with hatching to describe surface direction, the digital artwork is reminiscent of early Chris Van Allsburg, with illustrations able to exist as their own ministories. Ending on a high note, with the promise of future missions and adventures to come, the possibility of a sequel or another series is palpable. An informational page on nanorobotics may even inspire some readers to dream of future careers and discoveries in the field.Action oriented with a sci-fi feel, this will have robot-obsessed readers clamoring for more. (Picture book. 4-7)

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Starred review from August 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Hard at work in his musty basement, a brilliant young inventor constructs a crew of mighty but minute NanoBots, each with its own special skill and the ability to change the world. For example, MechanoBots can infiltrate the "hardest-to-reach places" and fix anything with their built-in tool arrays; HeloBots utilize rotors to fly in swarms and can form any shape needed; ChewBots gobble down "nasty, icky stuff" (e.g., ground-into-the-carpet bubble gum); and the MediBot patrols bodily nooks and crannies to repel "germy invaders." Entered in a science fair, they are placed next to a giant-size robot (cobbled together from household items such as a bucket, plunger, and blow-dryer) and suddenly feel "very, very small." However, when the Big Bot falls to pieces, it's the NanoBots to the rescue. Exploding with energy and humor, Gall's zoomed-in digitally created artwork conveys each miniscule machine's personality and functionality. An author's note introduces the science of nanorobotics and potential applications of devices with capabilities similar to the characters introduced here. VERDICT A pleasing amalgamation of imagination, STEM concepts, and superhero-style storytelling perfect for group reads and small group sharing.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 1, 2016
Grades K-2 *Starred Review* Gall leads fans of his Dinotrux (2009) into microscopic realms, where industrious crews of tiny robots, produced by a proud young basement inventor, are fanning out to clean up messes, gather knowledge, protect, build, and repair. Each bulbous, anthropomorphic NanoBot has a specialized task: SeekerBots explore a drop of water ( They've never met an amoeba they didn't like ); Lady Lance-o-Bot wields a light saber against insect dragons in the garden; ChewBots clamber over carpet fibers, gleefully chowing down on ground-in gum; MediBot sternly keeps her maker's nose free of germy invaders. Tiniest of all, Nano-NanoBotsportrayed amid clusters of brightly colored Tinkertoy moleculesare the best construction workers in the universe, able to build a car made from water and a house made from air. Carted off to a science fair, the tiny Bots all feel pretty small next to the other exhibits, but they get a chance to shine when the giant robot in the next booth over starts to fall apart. NanoBots to the rescue! Having proven themselves by converting a growing pile of junk into an awesome prizewinner, it's on to bigger missions, like curing the sick, cleaning up oil spills, and generally serving humankind. A closing page on the scientific potential of nanomachines adds an informational element to this rousing robo-romp.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2017
An inventor creates microscopic robots to fulfill various tasks, from fixing machines to fighting diseases. Ultimately, the NanoBots save the day at the science fair when they engineer an emergency repair to a giant robot. Colorful digital illustrations almost leap off the page, and a detailed author's note explores current research in nano-robotics, linking fantasy with possibility. STEM has never been this cool.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)