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Small Robots
Whether you need a robotic companion to remember the names of people you meet at parties, an algorithmic pal to help you stomp on the crispy leaves in autumn, or just a really, really big 'bot for no particular reason at all, Small Robots is your spotter's guide to the wonderful world of robotic friends.
They bring tea, complain in restaurants, retrieve lost balloons, but they also tackle more serious mental health, disability, discrimination and grief, and will, when called upon, fiercely defend the marginalised and oppressed.
This collection of one hundred of the best and most beloved 'bots delves into the functions, features, dimensions and backstories of these wonderful but often bafflingly obtuse creations. Discover how they perform their all-important tasks in the world of their large human friends, revealing how acts of kindness can be achieved in the littlest and most unexpected ways.
They bring tea, complain in restaurants, retrieve lost balloons, but they also tackle more serious mental health, disability, discrimination and grief, and will, when called upon, fiercely defend the marginalised and oppressed.
This collection of one hundred of the best and most beloved 'bots delves into the functions, features, dimensions and backstories of these wonderful but often bafflingly obtuse creations. Discover how they perform their all-important tasks in the world of their large human friends, revealing how acts of kindness can be achieved in the littlest and most unexpected ways.
- GenresHumor
266 pages, Hardcover
Published November 14, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 18, 2020
@smolrobots is one of the best things on Twitter. Their book distills that loveliness and tells us more about 100 of these marvellous creations.
Warning 1: Contains me as a Pledgebot.
Warning 2: Contains the best description of a lychee ever.
Warning 1: Contains me as a Pledgebot.
Warning 2: Contains the best description of a lychee ever.
April 24, 2020
I helped to crowdfund this so was very excited to see my copies arrive yesterday! Small Robots is a Twitter account which regularly posts drawings of robots designed for very specific tasks. For instance, Booksbot swoops in and hides your new books so you don't have to feel guilty about adding to the pile of books you already have waiting on your TBR! Teabot brings you tea (and only tea). Guestshowerbot helps you figure out the arcane controls on your friend's shower.
This book contains 100 robot friends, along with crochet patterns for two of them (I haven't tried the patterns yet). The drawings are adorable and often funny; sometimes the bots are uplifting (like Hopebot) and sometimes they're bizarre (Bingliesbot); this collection includes commentary on their purpose and designs which is also often adorable and/or funny. It's a chunky little book and one which can be dipped into at will.
True story: my copy fell open at Booksbot when I first picked it up, and given I hadn't even previously been aware of this bot, it felt like fate. I need a bookmark with this friend on, at the very least...
This book contains 100 robot friends, along with crochet patterns for two of them (I haven't tried the patterns yet). The drawings are adorable and often funny; sometimes the bots are uplifting (like Hopebot) and sometimes they're bizarre (Bingliesbot); this collection includes commentary on their purpose and designs which is also often adorable and/or funny. It's a chunky little book and one which can be dipped into at will.
True story: my copy fell open at Booksbot when I first picked it up, and given I hadn't even previously been aware of this bot, it felt like fate. I need a bookmark with this friend on, at the very least...
March 17, 2020
I've followed the @smolrobots account on twitter for a few years now and it never fails to bring joy to my newsfeed. When this book was announced I had no hesitation in contributing and I was so pleased when it arrived.
The world of Small Robots is one where kindness, helpfulness and extreme specificity to the point of glorious ridiculousness abounds. This book brings all of this together with delightful descriptions and additional illustrations that made reading it an even greater delight. The diversity of robots from Teabot to Dogbot to Notokaybot means that there's a robot for you on whichever day you choose to dip into the book.
There are some robots that mean an awful lot to me, that can help me get through a bad day. And there are some that amuse me with their silliness. But all of them leave me smiling and the value of that can't be overestimated.
Buy the book and check out the twitter account. You won't regret it.
The world of Small Robots is one where kindness, helpfulness and extreme specificity to the point of glorious ridiculousness abounds. This book brings all of this together with delightful descriptions and additional illustrations that made reading it an even greater delight. The diversity of robots from Teabot to Dogbot to Notokaybot means that there's a robot for you on whichever day you choose to dip into the book.
There are some robots that mean an awful lot to me, that can help me get through a bad day. And there are some that amuse me with their silliness. But all of them leave me smiling and the value of that can't be overestimated.
Buy the book and check out the twitter account. You won't regret it.
July 18, 2020
Sometimes a book arrives and the sheer joy of knowing what’s in it is enough to make me do a lap of the warehouse just so I can exclaim my delight at my poor flatmate. Occasionally I accidentally smack him in the face with an overeager book thrust.
This was one of these books.
Small Robots have been a long-standing bringer of joy to my twitter account, so pledging to bring this small, pink, hardcover piece of joy to life was a no-brainer. I’m delighted by the mixture of robots I already knew, interspersed with pals new or somewhat forgotten.
But don’t take my word for it.
100 tiny robot pals await you.
This was one of these books.
Small Robots have been a long-standing bringer of joy to my twitter account, so pledging to bring this small, pink, hardcover piece of joy to life was a no-brainer. I’m delighted by the mixture of robots I already knew, interspersed with pals new or somewhat forgotten.
But don’t take my word for it.
100 tiny robot pals await you.
February 21, 2020
The three laws of small robotics
1. Be kind
2. Be helpful
3. Do your best
An utterly wonderful book. Cute, funny and poignant all at the same time. Made me laugh out loud (Dairybot pointing at cows) and shed a few tears (Hopebot reaching out its little hand). The world needs more Small Robots.
1. Be kind
2. Be helpful
3. Do your best
An utterly wonderful book. Cute, funny and poignant all at the same time. Made me laugh out loud (Dairybot pointing at cows) and shed a few tears (Hopebot reaching out its little hand). The world needs more Small Robots.
March 17, 2020
This is one of those books that I think will be read over and over. I've been following @smolrobots on Twitter for a long time, and this book was definitely worth the purchase. The extra information about some of my favourite bots was exactly what I wanted, and my daughter was impatient for me to read it so she could talk about her favourites with me. So good.
March 29, 2024
I laughed, the kids laughed, I think at some point the robots laughed too.
And the kids kept asking me to buy every robot we read about, and for a lot of them I was in agreement. So, this book is also a bit of false advertising, as they're not available anywhere, I think the author needs to get on with building them :)
And the kids kept asking me to buy every robot we read about, and for a lot of them I was in agreement. So, this book is also a bit of false advertising, as they're not available anywhere, I think the author needs to get on with building them :)
February 22, 2020
Perfectly captures the smolrobots twitter feed in a smol but chonky book
March 9, 2020
Whimsical and fun.
Can't wait to crochet the #smolbots
Can't wait to crochet the #smolbots
September 3, 2021
Perfection!
November 2, 2021
Quite delightful, wish they were a real thing.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews