I received this book at no cost from the publisher
Friendroid by M.M. VaughanISBN: 1481490656
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books on March 26, 2019
Pages: 384
Source: Publisher
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Age Range: 8 – 12 years
Grade Level: 3 – 7
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (March 26, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1481490656
ISBN-13: 978-1481490658
Praise for FRIENDROID
“A timely parable for this generation of digital natives.” ―Kirkus
“Vaughan presents another noteworthy sf middle-grade offering peppered with mystery.” ―Booklist
“For middle-grade readers who are ready to fight the power.” ―Publishers Weekly
Stranger Things meets robots in this sweet story about an unlikely friendship between two boys—one human, one android.
Eric Young is an android, but he doesn’t know. He does know that he’s just moved to Ashland, so it’s important to make the right kind of friends—the kind that would be interested in skateboarding and the new Slick sneakers his Uncle Martin sends him.
Danny Lazio doesn’t have any friends, but he doesn’t care. Even if his classmates don’t accept him, he still has Land X, the online role play game that he’s actually really good at. But then Eric takes an interest in Land X, and suddenly Danny thinks he might have found a real friend…if he can figure out the mystery behind Eric’s sudden disappearances and strange lifestyle.
It becomes harder to ignore the weird events that happen only around Eric. But uncovering the secret behind Eric’s identity is an act that might cost them both as powerful forces soon move in around them.
This heartfelt story about friendship and what it means to be human is sure to tug at your soul—or your soul-chip if you’re like Eric.
REVIEW
We start out this story with a death. Danny’s friend, Eric, nicknamed Slick, was murdered and he was an android, He wants to publish Slick’s journal in hopes that it leads to the killer. The two bonded over an online video game called Land X and the strange thing is that Slick thinks he is a normal kid with abnormal habits. He extreme sleeps and makes dentist visits like we go to get out nails done. They also bond over building computers. Slick is obsessed with collecting friends on and off line and sneakers as well as trendy T-shirts.
This story is so filled with snarky fun and the way Eric/Slick is written allows you to see he is not human but has those qualities that make him human. These two are an odd couple that work and I found their friendship very heartwarming and humorous. I wish I would have had a book like this in middle grade.
The daughter of South American parents, Monica Meira Vaughan grew up in Spain before moving to London at the age of five where she learnt English by watching Sesame Street and reading every Roald Dahl book she could get her hands on. On leaving school, and after a brief stint in public relations, Monica decided to train as a primary school teacher. She spent over ten years working in special needs, mostly with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, before becoming a full time writer.
Monica loves writing after midnight, building cardboard cities and playing Lego with her daughter. She lives in London, UK.
INTERVIEW
- What is on your nightstand?
My book club book this month – Educated By Tara Westover. It’s the memoir of a girl born into a survivalist family in Idaho. I’ve only just started, but I’m already hooked.
- What author would you totally fan?
Malcolm Gladwell, the non-fiction author of Outliers and The Tipping Point. His out-of-the-box thinking and his ability to make any subject utterly fascinating is brilliant and inspiring.
- What makes you cringe?
As I said to my personal guru on overhearing someone attempting to justify their appreciation of modern art: pretentiousness. (I love modern art, btw!).
- Do you obsessively plot out each point or just go with the flow?
A mixture of both. I begin writing only when I have a clear idea of the beginning of the story and the end, and a vague idea of what happens in the middle. As I write and the story takes shape, I plot out a few chapters ahead. By the time I’m halfway through writing a story, I will have plotted out every chapter remaining.
- Is there a word you love to use?
For some reason, I appear to love to use the word ‘just’! I just have to keep reminding myself to take it out when I edit.
Also, if you have any pictures of your pet you would like to share, please attach them. My readers love animals!
Hide and go seek: Hidden among the giant paper poppies is my cat Toto!
– 2 Winners will receive a Copy of FRIENDROID by M.M. Vaughan.
