From a very young age Robert had liked robots. This was not exactly surprising as he had a very mechanically minded father. But when he got to the age of eleven, something happened which dramatically changed the course of Robert’s life, an event which would leave a permanent scar on him. Two further occurrences came about which were to steer Robert’s life in a new and exciting direction, the opening of a rather special shop in the town of Waterford, and the arrival of Aaliyah, the American girl who came to his school when he was fourteen. Set just after the new millennium, this whole story rotates around the building of hobby robots, the use of computers, and the various relationships of the people involved. With chapter titles almost entirely computer related, and the book cram full of various computer and robot inspired topics, this exciting and heartwarming story is a must for any child or teenager who loves anything of a technological nature. It also challenges the whole concept of stereotyping, underlining how ridiculous it can be.
Claire Rosemary Jane grew up in Malvern in Worcestershire and is the eldest of six children. Her father was one of the Bawdsey Manor radar pioneers. She has always liked reading but her peak childhood reading was between the ages of 9 and 12. At school, her favourite subject was geography, although she also liked both writing and music. Claire went on to qualify as a Chartered Surveyor. Claire has travelled widely to many parts of the world and, as a result, has progressively become more and more interested (and concerned) in what humans are doing to harm the planet.