George the Flybot and the Golden Owl of France

by Nessa Bellido Schwarz

George the flybot is back—and he's revved up and ready for a real-life treasure hunt! This time he's off to the French countryside in search of an owl statue that's worth a fortune. If George finds the owl, he can make a difference in the lives of children like Petey, his first human friend. But when George crosses flight paths with a pack of robotic pigeons on the same mission, he finds himself in a high-stakes race to the finish line.

80 pages, Paperback

Published July 30, 2024

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

GEORGE the flybot was designed by humans to assist with all manner of tasks, especially those that are challenging for humans to complete on their own. With his first mission under his belt, GEORGE is ready to complete his second task: searching for a fabled bronze owl statue in the French countryside. Part of a decades-old treasure hunt, whoever recovers the bronze owl will win a golden owl covered with diamonds, and GEORGE’s boss has plans to donate the money to a charitable organization. But GEORGE is not the only creature hunting for the hidden owl, and he must work faster and smarter in order to be the first to achieve his goal. This second in the GEORGE the Flybot series begins shortly after the first installment ends. Designed for newer middle grade readers, the story incorporates short chapters, a straightforward storyline, and frequent illustrations to both aid in comprehension and alleviate fatigue as readers navigate the story. Though relatively brief, the novel does a good job of building a compelling narrative and inviting further investigation into the true story behind the owl statues referenced in GEORGE’s adventure. Throughout the book, illustrations help amplify the depth of the story. Whether they are depicting GEORGE and his companions or explaining a more obscure element of the plot, the images are designed to be helpful in myriad ways. Even though they are not in color, the visuals are a welcome and important addition to the book. Well suited to middle grade readers who are increasing their confidence with beginning chapter books, this story satisfies children's curiosity while encouraging their progressing reading abilities. This story is an enjoyable addition to library collections featuring series fiction for emerging middle grade readers.

[Carol LFL · Rating 5 out of 5]

George the robotic fly is back in another harrowing adventure! Ness Bellido Schwarz has created a clever tale for young readers and Jason Fruchter's illustrations bring this one-of-a-kind robot and his mission to life. He's off to France in search of treasure hoping to use the prize money to help a worthy cause. The story opens so many avenues to pursue for further exploration from tech's interactions with humans and the world of AI, to geography and learning more about France and the history of the bronze owl, to emotional health and using our resources to help others. Well done! I thank Sunbird Kids Books for the free copies and look forward to sharing this story with our community.

[Dawn Cochrane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I entered this contest to try to win books for my grandsons. I read this b9ok, to dmake sure it was appropriate for a 7 year old. I gave it to my grandson for his birthday. This was a very nice book, just like the other George the Flynot book. This adventure took the reader to France, to look for a golden owl. This book also had tidbits on the tops of some pages to give the reader (or listener if being read to), additional information regarding things in France.
This was a very good book too. Should provide hours of enjoyment when it is being read. It also gives little lessons, like the other George the Flybot book did.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’ll never look at flies the same way again! Meet George the Flybot and join in on his first two adventures: Mount Everest and France. What a unique book series and I love how they incorporate science, geography, and discovery in these tales. Now my kids will be examining every fly they can trying to find George.