Publishers Weekly
06/06/2016
The newest student at Vanguard Middle School is Fuzzy, a robot developed as part of a government project exploring advanced artificial intelligence. In order to aid with Fuzzy’s integration into the school, which is already under the control of the ultra-strict supercomputer known as Vice Principal Barbara, Maxine “Max” Zelaster is selected to act as his guide and friend. However, Max and Fuzzy face the anti-robot prejudices of those tired of losing their jobs to automation, as well as Barbara’s increasingly tyrannical micromanagement. Complicating matters, the military keeps pushing up Fuzzy’s development timeline, and someone is out to steal his unique code. Angleberger (the Origami Yoda series) and adult SF/fantasy author Dellinger draw a lot of comedy out of Fuzzy’s challenging acclimation to middle school, and seem to have put substantial thought into the complexity of the software that makes him work (Fuzzy shorts out in the cafeteria after trying to listen to 250 kids talking at once). It’s a fast-paced, entertaining romp that also offers a nuanced examination of intelligence, free will, and omnipresent technology. Ages 8–12. Agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary. (Aug.)
Bookpage
"A tech-infused wild ride, with some suspenseful moments and brilliant twists—an ideal book for reluctant readers, young science fans and really anyone who wishes their best friend were a robot."
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Angleberger and Dellinger hit the perfect mix of funny and contemplative, speculative and realistic."
Shelf Awareness
"Coauthors Tom Angleberger and Paul Dellinger weave computer concepts into the action, using snippets of programming code to show Fuzzy's perspective. ...The use of code as a storytelling device is funny, and cleverly illustrates the way a young mind processes the overwhelming input of a typical day in middle school."
From the Publisher
**STARRED REVIEW** “Origami Yoda creator Angleberger teams up with science-fiction writer Dellinger for this funny, thrilling, and thought-provoking page-turner…the duo have crafted a day-after-tomorrow cautionary tale of friendship with a fuzzy, robotic heart…a winner.”—Kirkus
"An absorbing, fast-paced read and an excellent choice for middle schoolers."—School Library Journal
"A tech-infused wild ride, with some suspenseful moments and brilliant twists—an ideal book for reluctant readers, young science fans and really anyone who wishes their best friend were a robot."—Bookpage
"Coauthors Tom Angleberger and Paul Dellinger weave computer concepts into the action, using snippets of programming code to show Fuzzy's perspective. ...The use of code as a storytelling device is funny, and cleverly illustrates the way a young mind processes the overwhelming input of a typical day in middle school."—Shelf Awareness
"Angleberger and Dellinger hit the perfect mix of funny and contemplative, speculative and realistic."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
School Library Journal
08/01/2016
Gr 5–8—Max is looking forward to starting sixth grade because this year her school is launching a new program, Robot Integration, and Max is excited about meeting the first ever robot student. When she meets Fuzzy, Max quickly befriends him and is assigned to show him the ropes. Not everyone at school is excited about the new student. The assistant principal, an AI computer named Barbara, seems determined to get rid of both Fuzzy and Max. When Fuzzy winds up in a showdown with Barbara, somebot's bound to be reprogrammed. In some ways, this is a typical school story—smart kids, clueless adults, overly tough school administrators, and some bad guys (cyberspies) thrown in for good measure. It's also a futuristic sci-fi novel with a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the evils of standardized testing gone awry. VERDICT An absorbing, fast-paced read and an excellent choice for middle schoolers.—Kathy Kirchoefer, Henderson County Public Library, NC
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2016-06-01
Vanguard Middle School's no place for breaking rules; computerized Vice Principal Barbara sees to that.Sixth-grader Maxine "Max" Zelaster and her friends struggle to pass the Federal School Board's nonstop tests in the newly instituted Constant UpGrade program. The kids think they are doing well, but their grades don't reflect their work. Their cumulative scores are dragged even lower by discipline tags and citizenship infractions, all noted by Barbara's all-seeing electronic eyes. Enter Fuzzy, the government's attempt to create a robot that will program itself. Scientists in the Robot Integration Program ask Max to show Fuzzy around because of her interest in robots, but this leads to further trouble for Max at school and at home; Barbara just seems to have it in for her. Fuzzy uncovers irregularities with test scoring and begins to suspect something's wrong with the vice principal, but can he save his new friend Max while evading corporate spies and his creators' plans for his future? Origami Yoda creator Angleberger teams up with science-fiction writer Dellinger for this funny, thrilling, and thought-provoking page-turner. Riffing on some of the same issues as Origami Yoda's second trilogy—individuality and the dangers of standardized testing—the duo have crafted a day-after-tomorrow cautionary tale of friendship with a fuzzy, robotic heart. Provocative issues that never overwhelm storytelling make this a winner. (Science fiction. 8-12)
