Renowned Latin American writer Alvarez has created another story about cultural identity, but this time the primary character is 11-year-old Miguel Guzmán.

An effective plea for a group whose plight, as an afterword notes, continues to worsen.

By prefacing her novel with thanks to several Vietnamese and the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, Whelan implies that it's based on interviews. The conclusion (threatened with deportation, Kim's mother is reprieved in the nick of time) is pat, but appropriate given Whelan's choice of keeping the worst tragedies offstage. Though the events seem selected to present a typical ordeal, Whelan narrates with eloquence and sympathy, deftly weaving in telling details like the competition between Kim's mother and Mai's grandmother.

In Hong Kong, some of the less able are sent home, but Mai's family, her friend Kim, and Kim's mother (a doctor) are among the lucky ones chosen to go to America. The strangers aboard become a community on the long journey, while events en route are representative: a birth a death a Tet celebration the rescue of the sole survivor of another, capsized vessel. Mai's grandmother, a traditional healer, is threatened with arrest for her ``dangerous superstitions,'' but her father is a mechanic whose skills win a place on the small, overcrowded, rickety craft. Robocalypse – Daniel H Wilson.The experiences of a village family, reluctantly escaping their homeland in a perilous boat trip to Hong Kong. The classic SF novel that spawned Blade Runner. Infernal Devices trilogy – Cassandra Clare.ĭo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – Phillip K Dick. Hilarious fun with the memorable secondary character, Marvin the Paranoid Android. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams. These stories feature Asimov’s famous ‘Three Laws of Robotics’įor older readers (some graphic contents, advanced concepts and themes) The Robot King – Brian Selznick, author of Hugo Cabret Part robot, part boy, these action packed adventures zing along. Fun Asimov robot stories.Įrnest Pickle’s Remarkable Robot – Max Dann. Norby, the Mixed-Up Robot – Isaac Asimov and Janet Asimov. Helped by the intelli-swarm via Facebook and Twitter, here’s a range of books that feature our mechanical friend, the robot. In the lead-up to the publication of Machine Wars in April, I thought a little pre-reading might be in order.

The Robot King by Brian Selznick