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BILLIE BUILDS A ROBOCORN

Name: BILLIE BUILDS A ROBOCORN
Author: José Lourenço
ISBN: 9781774884041

by José Lourenço ; illustrated by James Braithwaite ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2026

Friendship made easy—and fun.

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A science-minded child discovers that friendship is often found when you least expect it—and when you most need it.

Billie never met a problem she couldn’t solve through resourcefulness and a can-do attitude. When she and her dad move, however, her upbeat perspective is put to the test. Dad suggests visiting the local playground to find some potential new buddies, but Billie’s got a better idea. Why make a friend when you can make one—literally? She designs a glitzy robotic unicorn with a magic horn, kind (and deadly) laser eyes, and rocket hooves. But once complete, RoboCorn looks more like a garbage can with tubes attached. And her new companion can’t do anything magical (or nonmagical, for that matter). Billie proposes going to the park so RoboCorn can meet some new pals (Billie insists that she’s doing fine). The trip is a bust for RoboCorn, but Billie befriends another young bot enthusiast, and just like that, she’s got two friends in her new town. Throughout, Billie doggedly attempts to include RoboCorn in a range of activities, from dancing the limbo to putting on makeup—all of which fail, hilariously, as the automaton slumps over wordlessly. The “ink, watercolor, sweat, tears, and blood” that (per the copyright page) went into Braithwaite’s playful, scribbly artwork shine, as do the abundance of visual gags and turns of phrase that’ll make even grown-ups reading aloud chuckle. Characters are pale-skinned.

Friendship made easy—and fun. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: April 14, 2026

ISBN: 9781774884041

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Tundra Books

Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
SPIT
by Mary Batten ; illustrated by James Braithwaite

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)