A boy gets a mini robot toy with an AI interface- what could possibly go wrong?

I think we've all read/watched/heard this story before and more or less knew what to expect when going in. I don't think this book did anything particularly groundbreaking for this trope, but what it did do- it did well. The main character is likable, his grandpa is supportive and listens, the robot is adorable until it's not! The pacing is great- tension builds rapidly. As Lenbot's intelligence grows- so does his thirst for attention and violence. (And there is ACTUAL violence in this one) all in all- I really enjoyed this book, once I started reading I couldn't put it down. I loved the illustrated pages and the cliffhanger chapter endings.

*** I think this book should've come with a trigger warning for animal death. As the plot progressed and Lenbot's behavior started getting more nefarious there were clues it was leading to this, but I admit I was still really shocked by the page and a half long scene where they find the kitty and decide what to do with it. It felt a bit much.

Engaging middle grade horror. This is apparently the second in a series, I didn't know that when I picked it up. Good book for fans of light horror like Goosebumps. Very timely piece for where the world is now with AI.

My son is obsessed with robots so this was perfect for him. A little longer than our usual read but it kept him interested.

Bad Bot.
Imagine having a little robot friend that could forge your parents signatures or imitate their voice to get you out of school for the day. How fun would that be! But what happens when that little friend suddenly starts doing even more naughtiness things, including hurting things! Well that is Lenbot!Lenbot is bad! Bad to the circuitry. He is super co-dpendent as well, making this story being a bit of a cautionary tale of not putting one friend above everything.

To me this story is like a modern, version of Chucky but for middle grade. It had it's little creepy moments that I think would give kids a little fright Goosebumps style. Kids these days are growing up with AI so this story seemed well suited for what would interest kids. When I was around this age, I think I would have enjoyed this story.

Since this is for kids I feel the need to mention there are off page death/murder of a squirrel and cat. Just in case your kid may be sensitive to such topics. The cat was a little much for me for a kids book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orca Book Publishers for the ARC.

I was enjoying the tone and the idea of a kid's toy robot being bad, but I don't like pets being killed as part of the plot. That's not kid friendly to me.

The title of this novel, *Bad Bot*, says it all. This engaging middle grade horror book brings back memories of my childhood favorite, R.L. Stine's *Goosebumps*. The story follows Victor, who persistently asks his family for a robot and finally receives LenBot for Christmas. Victor enjoys programming his new friend, LenBot, until the robot develops a mind of its own and starts acting out.

LenBot begins to misbehave, and Victor finds himself unable to reprogram or shut him off. This creepy robot story is perfect for kids seeking a fast-paced, quick read that will make them think differently about robots.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This was really cute. I didn't realize it was a kids book, so it was short, but creepy enough for kids. Dang robots are going to overtake us all if we're not careful. I'm also going to look a little sideways at little robot friends from now on...

The artwork was good too, very simple but effective.