The publisher was right on the money saying this is a mash up of E.T. and The Iron Giant. Kids are going to just inhale this book because it is so cinematic. The descriptions just jump off the page like a movie playing in your head. I loved it!

E.T. meets The Iron Giant in this MG sci adventure story.
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Mimi Perez wants nothing more than to bring Papi home after ICE raids their home and takes him away. So she works odd jobs such as fixing electronics for people in her neighborhood for extra cash. When the opportunity arises for a robotics competition that pays $50,000, Mimi decides to reunite with her old friend group to make the best robot ever. What isn’t part of the plan is hiding a mysterious robot that crash landed on earth near her apartment. When federal agents show up to try and take the robot away, Mimi does everything she can to reunite the robot with her parents.
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This was such a sweet story that, at its heart, is a story about what one will do to be with the people they love. Stories like Mimi’s happen everyday in America and it makes me angry and sad and disgusted with how we treat refugees and non-citizens in America. Let’s continue to publish books like these that show the human side of immigration. This title releases March 25.

CW: deportation, trauma, poverty, immigration issues

Since Papi was deported and the electronics store was closed, Mimi feels lost. She’s good at fixing electronics, but Papi’s departure leaves a larger hole in her family than Mimi can fix. Her ex-friends approach her to see if she’d be willing to enter a robot building contest, with a $50,000 prize for winners. One day, a strange noise is heard, lights flash, and something crashes into the closed electronics store. She sneaks in to find a robot. When she sneaks it out of the store, men in black suits descend upon the store. She takes it home to repair it. Why are the men after the robot? Will Mimi ever get her Papi back? Will she win the competition?

The characters are engaging, authentic, and likable. The plot is a well written and has a fun, contemporary spin on classic science fiction. The world building is well done and brings Mimi’s world to life. Themes of fractured friendships, family, and immigration are mixed throughout the book. The main character is Latina. Readers who like science fiction, friendship stories, and coming of age stories will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections. 5 stars, Gr 3-7

I received an electronic ARC from Disney Publishing Worldwide through NetGalley.
Mimi is not quite a typical middle school student. She is dealing with adult level issues to bring her family back together. Her Papi was deported and her mom is working several jobs so they survive. She has picked up the role of keeping her father's fix it business going by working on electronics for their neighbors. Rodriquez sets this scene before bringing in the main action so readers can identify with her and her friends.
When a series of bright lights flash across the evening/nighttime sky, Mimi sees an object crash into her dad's closed up shop. She decides to investigate and discovers a small round being who looks like a robot. Dot-e has crash landed on Earth but was separated from their mom. The parallels between the two are obvious and well presented. Together with her three friends, Mimi helps Dot-e locate their mom and rescue her. There is empowerment here as Mimi can't do anything to bring her dad back.
As every story needs, we also meet a "villain." Agent Gallo is a rogue government employee who causes grief and threatens Mimi's mom. The four friends work together to resolve this complication and help the robots go home.
A balanced approach with enough action and seriousness balanced by lighter moments. I appreciate the author's point that the bonds of family and friendship are without boundaries.

Fast paced, dealing with friendship, family, immigration, and alien robots! LOVED this new one! After finding a strange glowing ball in her parents old garage space, Mimi is confused! She can fix anything. She and her father spent many weekends tinkering and fixing old technology; with her friends, her family, her community, along with a little robot, can she put it all back together again?

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

Mimi can fix phones and other small appliances, but she can't fix her family. Not since her father was deported to the Dominican Republic. She needs money for a lawyer to clear her mother's status, to bring her father back, maybe even to get an apartment and their shop back. She's pulled away from her friends, her cousin, because, what might happen to them next?

Then, two things happen. The first is a robotics competition. The top prize is $50,000-enough to make a dent in Mimi's needs, so she and her friends start work. The second is Dot-E. A young alien robot who needs to find HER lost family--and protection from the military scientists trying to find her. Together, the four friends set out to do both.

This is a wonderful sci-fi kids book, with a well earned if not unexpected finish that also leads to opportunities to discuss immigration and the struggles faced by immigrants in getting legal residency in the US. I think many kids will love this book..

Mimi Perez is only twelve, but she learned how to fix electronics at her father’s knee. When an alien robot crashes into her family’s former e-repair shop, Mimi knows she has to help. At the same time, she has to deal with broken friendships, her father’s deportation and federal agents. A robotics contest might just help with all those things. She’s a strong and wonderful girl, with a big heart, a wonderful family that includes her mother, her neighbors and everyone on the block in Brooklyn. A really enjoyable and fun read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for this DRC.
#PTheGirlandtheRobot #NetGalley