Sociologist and poet Eve L. Ewing's Maya and the Robot is an encouraging and poignant middle-grade debut that features a budding scientist and her homemade robot.
Patricia Maya Robinson is excited to start fifth grade at her Chicago elementary school. Now she can participate in the school science fair with the "certified, record-breaking greatest friends in the solar system," Jada and MJ. But, for the first time, the three Black friends aren't in the same classroom together. While her friends are with Ms. Montgomery, Maya is with Ms. Rodriguez, a dead ringer for Matilda's Miss Trunchbull. Maya, lonely and defeated, struggles to make new friends. One bright spot in Maya's week is the time she spends helping Mr. Mac at his "everything" convenience store. While cleaning out a storage closet, Maya finds a nonfunctioning robot named Ralph built by Mr. Mac's son, along with his notebook detailing the construction. Mr. Mac lets Maya take Ralph home and, with the notes, Maya is able to get Ralph up and running. Before she knows it, her problems don't seem as bad.
In this inspiring illustrated middle-grade novel, Ewing (1919; Electric Arches) highlights the importance of STEM and community while also touching on some of the more upsetting aspects of city life. Not only is this story about using one's curiosity and ingenuity to get through a tough time, it's also about the power of community. Ewing demonstrates how necessary friendship is for mental health, while also showing the effects an event like a shooting can have on a neighborhood. Ewing handles this delicate subject with aplomb and nuance. Christine Almeda's spot and full-page black-and-white illustrations are expressive and include depictions of Ewing's diverse cast of characters. Winning illustrations and relatable topics make Maya and the Robot significant and meaningful. --Lana Barnes, freelance reviewer and proofreader