Booklist calls BILLIE BUILDS A ROBOCORN by José Avelino Gilles Corbett Lourenço, illus. by James Braithwaite, “enduringly relatable” and a “delightful pick for any collection” in starred review

★ Billie Builds a RoboCorn. STARRED REVIEW

By José Avelino Gilles Corbett Lourenço. Illus. by James Braithwaite

Apr. 2026. 40p. Tundra. K–Gr. 3

“Equipped with her toolbox, Billie proves herself to be “relentlessly resourceful,” a problem solver, and a world-class tinkerer. After her dad’s new job results in a move that forces Billie to leave behind her beloved friends and school, the clever girl sets straight to work building RoboCorn, her “#1 all-time forever bestie of besties.” For the uninitiated (including Billie’s dad, who is remarkably supportive of this project), “RoboCorn is a Robot Unicorn who can jump over the sun! . . . And make pancakes,” among many other things. With its eclectic array of skills, RoboCorn is sure to fill the holes in Billie’s calendar, if not her heart. While playing with RoboCorn proves less . . . let’s say, engaging than Billie had hoped, it turns out that bringing a robot unicorn to the playground attracts the right audience, and Billie makes a friend after all. Cartoon ink-and-watercolor drawings in softened colors on warm backgrounds use bold, black outlines and exaggerated expressions to lean into Billie’s mad-scientist inclinations. The contrast between Billie’s earnest confidence in RoboCorn’s capabilities and the robot’s constant, abject failures, well-documented throughout the illustrations, injects a lively dose of humor into the enduringly relatable themes of moving and the challenge of making new friends. A droll and delightful pick for any collection.”

—Kit Ballenger, Booklist