Bots and Bods

Well, this was quite an interesting little read, if rather niche. It's a book that sort of engages in comparative biology, highlighting what makes the human form so unique and interesting, and putting it alongside any relevant kind of robot equivalent. So we get a lesson on the structure of the human skin, and then get it compared with the exoskeleton of a robot. We see how our arm, leg, and ankle joints and more are formatted, and then how robot forms might get optimised in similar or very different ways. The book also, luckily, if a little social-engineeringly, shows us what might happen if we combine the two – as we have been doing since the first pacemaker, and suchlike equipment. So at any one time we might be glorying in the future of search and rescue drones, or spider-like droids for use on other planets, or learning about the human digestive system, or getting used to medical use of nanobots and prosthetics – we're on the cusp of going off into a right jumble of subjects many times, but things just about hang together. Even self-driving cars and other automations get featured, and while the book does have a kind of 'you will get used to this' hectoring, I can see that it will also inspire copious diverse interests in multiple STEM subjects. I still think this is a bit specific and narrow, even if it is on two very diverse paths, but I also think this well worth commending to educators out there; it's pitched very well at a nine-to-thirteen sort of audience.

This book is a non-fiction book for children that explains in a simple and comprehensible language the similarities and differences between human beings and robots. My four years old ask me often about robots but the explanations in my head were complicated and not easy to share in a way that's easy to understand. In that light, I really appreciated this book and had a great time reading it with my son.

I think though that this book, while very informative on the robot side, does not do justice to explaining the human phenomenon. At times it sounds as if eventually robots will be just like humans, will have skin, will generate their own broken parts, and make decisions. I understand that this is a heated topic these days but I would have liked to see some more light shed on subtle aspects of human beings and what makes us unique.

'Bots and Bods' us a fascinating illustrated reference that introduces anatomy and robots to kids. Different aspects of human anatomy and how the body works is presented in a straightforward way. Robot technology, history, and utility us explained as a parallel to the human anatomy chapters. This book would be wonderful for kids interested in robotics!

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for access to this ARC! "Bots and Bods," is an informative and entertaining educational read. Easy to follow along and explore various facts about science, regarding the connected world of robots and humans. Perfect for any curious kid interested in STEM topics!