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Sprockets: A Little Robot

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A smart little robot scheduled to be destroyed escapes from the robot factory. He has many adventures and is adopted by a human family.

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1963

7 people are currently reading
46 people want to read

About the author

Alexander Key

71 books96 followers
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name


An American science fiction writer, most of whose books were aimed at a juvenile audience. He became a nationally known illustrator before he became an author. After he began writing novels for young people, he moved his family to the North Carolina mountains, and most of his books include that wild and rugged landscape.

His novel Escape to Witch Mountain was made into a popular film in 1975 and again in 1995. His novel The Incredible Tide became a popular anime series, Future Boy Conan.

He is known for his portrayals of alien but human-like people who have psychic powers and a close communion with nature, and who can speak with animals. In The Strange White Doves, he professed his belief that animals are conscious and aware, and have subtle ways of communicating, perhaps via telepathy.

The protagonists of Key's books are often ostracized, feared, or persecuted due to their abilities or alien origin, and Key uses this as a clear metaphor for racism and other prejudice. In several of the books (most notably The Case of the Vanishing Boy,) Key portrays some sort of communal withdrawing from society with a group of like-minded individuals. - Wikipedia -

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5 stars
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13 (34%)
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4 (10%)
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Sister Anne.
47 reviews30 followers
June 28, 2013
This was my favorite book of all time when I was eight. Well, it shared the designation with "The Bible for Little Tots." I have the best memories of holding the book, looking at the simple line-drawings within the chapters, relishing the science fiction world and the plucky little Sprockets, an escapee from the destroy bin. I read it repeatedly--until it was lost somewhere in my family's numerous bookcases (later thinned out considerably by Hurricane Katrina). It is a delight knowing that somewhere in the world there are some copies around! Maybe I will read Sprockets one more time...
Profile Image for Donna B.
37 reviews
October 31, 2013
I loved this book when I was a young girl. I tried for decades to recall the name of this book, then it suddenly came to me! Too bad it's not in print anymore. The story of a little robot destined for destruction but overcoming a sad fate was so meaningful to me back then. If I recall correctly, it was part of a short series of three or so books. Wonderful memories!
14 reviews1 follower
January 18, 2015
I read this book when I was a boy, and loved it. I've been looking for it for years.
Profile Image for Lesa Loves Books.
155 reviews14 followers
March 7, 2012
What a cute little retro sci-fi book for children! I read this aloud to my six year old and he loved it. The story is about Sprockets a little robot who mistakenly receives a positronic brain and is scheduled to be destroyed. He escapes and finds refuge with a human family that adopts him. Sprockets has many adventures including finding an UFO flown by purple people, going to the moon and more.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews

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