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Whirby

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Book Synopsis

If you (and your children!) struggle with setting a nighttime routine, staying up for countless hours, and regretting it the day after—this picture book is for you!

Whirby the robot is all systems go for his favorite school activity: bot battles! All that clinking, clanging, beeping, and banging makes Whirby so excited.

So excited that he forgets to recharge at night. He stays up practicing his best moves and building the coolest contraptions before the big battle.

But when it’s finally his turn to compete…BWOMP! BZZZ! ZZT!

With his battery on 0%, will Whirby find a way to still be the bot battle champion? Find out in this funny new offering from The Big Squeeze author, Molly Harris, and the illustrator of Big Bike, Little Bike, Jacob Souva!

You’ll love Whirby if you:

need a reminder to rest and recharge
enjoyed Robobaby, Clink, Boy + Bot, Love Z and Lou
are a fan of stories that are pure fun and impart important life lessons
love robots, robotics, robot battles, and anything robo-related

Our Review Panel says...

Whirby is a clever and engaging picture book with an important message for young readers. The first thing that stands out is the striking front cover, which uses bold and unusual colours not often seen in children’s books. It immediately catches the eye and creates excitement before the story even begins, especially if you adore robots (which many girls and boys do!).

The story follows Whirby, a lovable and energetic character who forgets to recharge overnight. As a result, when it is finally his turn in an important competition, his battery reaches 0% and he falls asleep at the worst possible moment. This simple but relatable storyline gives children a strong message about the importance of bedtime, sleep and taking time to rest properly. Many children struggle with going to bed on time, so the idea of ‘recharging’ makes the lesson feel modern, fun and easy to understand.

Whirby is a fantastic character who children will quickly warm to and the story feels fresh and relevant for today’s young readers. It is quite a long picture book (40 pages) so was enjoyed in class over a few days, although everyone wanted to keep reading! It became one of my favourite picture books to share immediately!