Cranky by Paul Stern is a quirky tale for kids centered around adventure and exploration. Eleven-year-old Blaze already knows that she wants to be a detective, and she’s not waiting till she grows up, either. With help from Cranky, an old-school robot made by her grandfather, her brother Billy, and Scoop, her friend who wants to be a newspaper reporter, she sets out to investigate a haunted house. The former residence of an eccentric old lady, Ms. Skelton, the house on the hill is rumored to be full of architectural oddities designed to confuse ghosts. Blaze asks her grandpa to update Cranky, and he obliges by adding more memory, treads instead of shaky legs, GPS, and more. Once inside the house, they discover a marvelous secret at its center.

With bright and cheery illustrations by Alena Karabach, Cranky is a fun and exciting read for children, especially ages 5-11. Paul Stern updates the classic theme of a kids’ neighborhood adventure with some new twists. All the characters, including the opinionated robot who lives up to his name, are realistic and lively, and the interactions between family and friends are very relatable. The book will no doubt set preteens on a quest to learn more about robots and robotics. It would be a great addition to school and library reading programs, as it keeps kids wanting to know more, helping them transition from listeners to readers. I hope a sequel is planned, because young readers will surely want more adventures with Cranky and his human buddies.

Cranky is a robot. His name has nothing to do with his mood, though he can sometimes get a little cranky; we all can, can’t we? It has to do with the crank on his back, which he needs to wind to help him work. In Paul Stern’s Cranky, Blaze (whose real name is Betty, but her hair is so red, everyone calls her Blaze) knows what she wants to be when she grows up: a detective. She’s already pretty good at solving mysteries, especially when her special robot friend, Cranky, helps. However, Cranky is pretty old. He was built by Blaze’s grandfather when he was young. And, being old, he has his aches and pains, which sometimes make him a little cranky. But when asked to help investigate the mystery inside a vacant old house, he is definitely up to the task. However, when Cranky’s crank breaks, the human characters wonder if that’s the end of their trusty robot friend.

Paul Stern’s early chapter book, Cranky, is a mystery full of fun and adventure and a finicky old robot who was built long before technology and computers ruled society. Told in simple language so young readers can easily follow along, the plot unfolds with interesting dialogue, not only between the human characters, but also between the humans and their trusty robot friend, Cranky. There are some spectacular illustrations by Alena Karabach to help add some zest to the developing plot. This is a great read for young middle graders, with themes that will open possible discussion, themes about technology, robotics, honesty and trust, as well as friendship and courage.