Sir_Scrap Metal


Children - Adventure
162 Pages
Reviewed on 07/15/2021
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Joan Dee Wilson is author and Illustrator of four children's picture books and one middle grade chapter book. Joan finds her inspiration from her children and grandchildren. She enjoys all four seasons and walking along the shores of the Great Lakes.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite

Sir_Scrap Metal is a children's adventure book written by Joan Dee Wilson. Eight-year-old Dree and her brothers, Mike and Brady, are in Lake Superior to spend the summer with their grandma in Cedar Cottage. While Mike and Brady visit Mr. Fitch's store to buy a drone, Dree sets out to explore by herself and chances upon two kittens, whom she names Lex and Poopsie. Meanwhile, the boys get their hands on a seemingly useless robot. They name it Sir Scrap Metal. Unbeknownst to them, Sir is an advanced robot that switches on after being exposed to sunlight due to its solar-powered battery. They are soon visited by Sir's creator, Mr. Rouso, who retrieves classified information from its Black Box. When Dree's kittens go missing, Sir helps them upgrade their drone to aid in their search.

If you're a fan of movies such as WALL-E, you're going to love Sir_Scrap Metal. Author Joan Dee Wilson masterfully captures children's adventurous spirit and crafts an entertaining yarn that a young reader is bound to enjoy. The plot moves quickly, the story world is remarkably imaginative, and you can't help immersing yourselves in the story. The characters are colorful and wildly entertaining. All of the characters -- Dree, Mike, Brady, Sir, Grandma, and even the kittens -- bring a unique flavor to the narrative, making it all the more compelling. My personal favorite characters were Dree, Sir, and the kittens. I enjoyed reading Sir_Scrap Metal, and I highly recommend it to kids of all ages.

Sarah Scheele

Sir_Scrap Metal is a children’s chapter book written and illustrated by Joan Dee Wilson. The story is about Sir_12.80, a robot adopted by two brothers, Mike and Brady, and their younger sister Dree. The high-tech spy robot has just been mysteriously thrown from a helicopter while on a mission. He works for Agent Rouso of the Animal Preservation Agency. After being adopted and renamed Sir Scrap Metal by the children, the intelligent robot learns a new experience—of belonging to a family instead of being only a sophisticated tool for the agency. Together they might help Sir’s boss, Agent Rouso, find the animal smuggler for whom he’s been searching.

Loaded with the kinds of authentic daily details young children enjoy, like glasses falling off and little kittens in peril, Sir_Scrap Metal is a cute and appealing book. The story is perfect for family read-aloud by nearly everyone, adults or kids, as the uncomplicated, swift-moving narrative presents viewpoints of characters of various ages. There are plenty of opportunities to have fun making little voices and accents for the characters, especially Sir Scrap Metal, whose stiff and austere diction is a strong point of the dialogue. There’s a mystery plot that keeps the action loosely structured, but the central theme is a sweet message about a lonely mechanized creature who finds a place to feel cherished. Sir Scrap Metal is a stray who responds to the love of children in a heartwarming story that made me want to read more by Joan Dee Wilson.

Cassie Widjaja

Sir_Scrap Metal by Joan Dee Wilson is a fun and short read for children craving adventure. An intelligent robot/ex-spy gets damaged after falling off a helicopter and somehow ends up in the alley outside Mr. Fitch's store. Aiming to profit off the banged-up robot, Mr. Fitch sells it to three siblings, Dree, Mike, and Brady. Settling into Grandma's cottage near Lake Superior and recharging its solar batteries, robot Sir 12.80 makes quite the impression on sweet Dree, who renames it Sir Scrap Metal. Though the little robot craves freedom and the feeling of belonging, it must first confront its creator, Agent Rouso, and avoid being kidnapped by Mr. Fitch. Along the way, Sir must help these siblings pursue a bird menace with their drone and find Dree's lost kittens. Watch out for sibling shenanigans and heartwarming moments as Sir Scrap Metal finally finds a place where he belongs with his small family.

Joan Dee Wilson has not only proven herself adept at words but artistically gifted too. Sir_Scrap Metal explores the meaning of family and teaches us that when trouble comes, a family bands together to help each other out. I love how Joan includes the robot's quest to belong, as it's a common theme among children. Few have achieved it, yet Joan succeeded in realistically portraying how children would act through her three protagonists. With her incredible characterization, I found it easy to root for these characters, especially Sir Scrap Metal, who only wanted to stay with his newfound family.

Kristine Zimmerman

Sir_Scrap Metal by Joan Dee Wilson is a mix of adventure and mystery. A robot named Sir_12.80 ends up in an alley destined for the scrap heap when a young girl named Dree finds him. She convinces her two older brothers to buy him from Mr. Fitch, the store owner. The three of them are spending their summer with their grandma near Lake Superior. Adventure unfolds as Sir_12.80's (renamed Sir_Scrap Metal by Dree) former employer finds him. There is also a mysterious bird that is causing chaos. The children and Sir_Scrap-Metal have many wild adventures and end up helping to solve a mystery.

Sir_Scrap Metal is a fun summer adventure story. Kids who enjoy robots or drones will love this story. Wilson has created some memorable characters. Sir_Scrap Metal transitions from his secretive missions with his former boss to life with a rambunctious family. Dree and her brothers are independent kids that have a strong bond. Grandma is a delightfully loving but sometimes absent-minded caretaker. Wilson has also included some small illustrations that enhance the chapters. Sir_Scrap Metal with its short chapters will be a book that kids transitioning from early readers will want to try. Wilson has done a nice job incorporating technology that kids are familiar with and some good old-fashioned outdoor adventure. Kids will enjoy the warm family relationships as they all work together to solve the challenges they encounter. Sir_Scrap Metal by Joan Dee Wilson is a story the whole family can enjoy reading together.

Foluso Falaye

In Sir_Scrap Metal by Joan Dee Wilson, a robot tries to escape its past by blending in with its new family. Three siblings—Dree, Mike, and Brady—make it to Mr. Fitch's store to get a drone for their school's Oktoberfest Drone Race competition. However, they find a robot that Mr. Fitch found in a junkyard. The siblings decide to buy the robot and discover that it's no ordinary robot. Its creator, Agent Rouso, is tracking the robot, but the robot only wants freedom and a simple life with the new family that adopts him—the three adventurous siblings and their fun grandmother. Will the robot get its wish as it watches over the family while they search for Dree's kittens and find themselves in dangerous situations?

Joan Dee Wilson does a fantastic job of merging adventure and sci-fi. The robot uses its artificial intelligence to teach the children about the difference between its logic intelligence and its general intelligence, among other things. The concepts and explanations are quite easy to understand for the young audience of the book. There's a lot packed into this short and elaborate story: adventure, espionage, pet rescue, technology, survival, and more. The plot moves at a fast pace, and every event and picture had me eagerly looking forward to the next one. I had no clue what would happen next. Sir_Scrap Metal is a good story for teaching children to love technology at an early age. A smart robot friend would be the dream of every child and even some adults!