Robot Island by Cary Fagan
After his parents die, Willis lives with his unfriendly uncle Tod in a house turned book store filled with used books. Tod gives Willis odd jobs after school, one of which is to read to an old widow. Willis' life starts to spin as he starts to like the widow and her remaining family, but he realizes his uncle is up to something nefarious. As Willis tries to escape the confusion he happens upon Robot Island, and things get even more complicated.
The book is full of characters that evoke emotion from the reader. There is a suitable villain, some people you are unsure of and some you just like. You root for Willis as well as want to yell at him for some of the choices he makes. You can relate to him and the conflicts he goes though. The story explores themes of loyalty, friendship and what family truly means. I like the mix of characters, the pace of the story, and the addition of he science fiction element of the robots. I also like that the robots have a retro feel and seem to come from the past instead of the future. I felt like the robots and the island could have been explored more. I enjoyed the story and it had some good themes about friendship, family and taking responsibility. But it is more about Willis and the relationships he is making as he grows up than about Robot Island. I would recommend it as a coming of age tale with an interesting sci-fi twist.
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