Perfect Picture Book Friday presents a techno tale with a little something for everyone, even the dog! And be sure to come back next Friday when author/illustrator Shanda McCloskey shares her process of “Mining for Heart” in creating this story.
Title: Doll-E 1.0
Written and Illustrated by: Shanda McCloskey
Little, Brown & Co., 2018
Suitable for ages: 4-8
Themes/topics: technology, ingenuity, toys
Opening:
Charlotte’s head was always in the cloud. Tinkering. Toggling. Coding. Downloading.
Brief synopsis (from barnesandnoble.com)
Charlotte’s world is fully charged! With her dog at her side, she’s always tinkering, coding, clicking, and downloading. She’s got a knack for anything technological—especially gadgets that her parents don’t know how to fix! Then, she receives a new toy that is quite a puzzle: a doll! What’s she supposed to do with that? Once she discovers the doll’s hidden battery pack, things start to get interesting…while her faithful canine sidekick wonders if he’ll be overshadowed by the new and improved Doll-E 1.0! With a little ingenuity and an open mind, everyone can be friends in this endearing, modern tribute to the creative spirit of play.
Activities and Resources:
Check out this post on A Mighty Girl for additional resources.
Design your own doll or toy character. What would it look like? What would it do?
Interview a parent, grandparent, or other adult about the toys they enjoyed.
Compare and contrast two different kinds of toys.
Why I like this book:
There is so much to love in this cute, clever, super STEM/STEAM selection that kids will enjoy reading again and again. And the twist with the two layers of parent storyline and child storyline is primo picture book storytelling! With engaging, spunky illustrations and clever wordplay, this story is bound to inspire!
AND…Don’t miss Shanda McCloskey’s post next week on Mining for Heart!
Visit author Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Books for a plethora of picture books listed by title and topic/theme, each with teacher/parent activities and resources.
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Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 
I just hopped over to my library page to reserve this book. It sounds like a super fun story.
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Now this is creative and very current for today’s kids. Love it!
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Beth, I have seen the buzz about this book. Now, I have to go find it. Lucky I’m going to the library tomorrow! Thanks for this great review.
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