How to Train Your Evil Robot by Joy McCullough

I'm sure everyone has heard of AI by now...unless you're completely shut off from even a whisper of modern life. So, when I saw today's read, I couldn't help but pick it up and see what it's about. This little robot looks cute and I'm curious how it will approach the AI theme. Especially since it's evil. 

So, let's see how this tale handles this modern topic, shall we?

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR EVIL ROBOT

by Joy McCullough

Illustrated by Eduardo Medeiros

Sourcebooks Explore

Picture Book

36 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING JULY 7th!!!

A picture book that uses a tiny would-be villain to explore the promise and pitfalls of artificial intelligence, blending comic book-style fun with big questions about technology, empathy, and what it means to be human.

Part picture book, part AI primer, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR EVIL ROBOT introduces a palm-sized bot with very big plans. When a maker-minded kid and their dog Jellybean test his boasts, readers get a fast, funny tour of artificial intelligence in daily life—recommendation engines and smart maps, hospital diagnostics and traffic systems—alongside kid-friendly talk about imagination, emotion, context, and (oops) fun. The story also invites critical thinking about real-world tradeoffs, from job changes to the electricity and water powering data centers.

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

With a little humor, these pages hit the timely theme of AI and lead readers to some thoughts to consider while also giving a little information about it.

A child receives a package in the mail. Inside is a little robot, which immediately states that it wants to destroy humans and take over the world. That seems like a tall order for such a small robot, and the child with its dog try to figure out why the robot is so intent on doing this...and are pretty sure it can't really do it, anyway.

First off, I'm not sure this really is the best fit for the 4 to 8 age group. The book is written in graphic novel format, which makes it an easy read, but the text, format, and discussion between the kid and the robot will snuggle in better for the upper end of this age range and even slide nicely into the middle grade level. The graphics are well done and carry half of the story, while the text brings in the interactions and food for thought. The text is fitting for readers, who know their words and have decent reading skills, to pick up on their own. I'd say it works nicely as a read-aloud for younger listeners, and while it does work fine in this case for one-on-one settings, the graphic novel format makes it difficult to use for group reads. There's enough humor built in to keep a lighter atmosphere and bring some smiles, although there's also a hint of uncertainty as the robot might pose a deadly danger. This aspect is kept age appropriate, and the slight tension feeds into the messaging within the pages nicely. 

There's an obvious message and drive-to-thought in these pages as it explores several modern aspects, fears, and problems surrounding AI and it's possible role in life. While the robot seems set on destruction, the child sets forth various examples and arguments to work the little robot away from its conviction of superiority and demonstrate the importance of life (especially human). At the same time, the book dives into the problems AI currently poses in technical terms such as electricity, the environment, and data centers. So, there's quite a bit in these pages to get those thought gears churning and open up to discussions on this modern topic.