Wodney Wat's Wobot

October 3, 2011
Still having trouble with the letter R, Wodney Wat receives a talking “wobot” for his birthday, which repeats everything he says and—best of all—has no trouble pronouncing “R’s.” Things are great until the return of infamous bully Camilla Capybara (“Everyone thought Camilla had gone west. Forever”), who resumes tormenting her classmates. But Camilla is nothing if not shrewd: when Wodney’s wobot stops working, she swaps her frilly, pink dress for doctor’s scrubs and confidently replaces its battery (before being chased away once again). Readers should have fun reading aloud in Wodney’s voice, but multidimensional Camilla is a scene-stealer herself. Ages 4–8.

August 1, 2011

K-Gr 2-Adorable Wodney Wat has found a solution to his speech issue. He receives a "Wobot" for his birthday: "a tewiffic pwesent!" especially since this robot can repeat anything that is said to it. Now instead of ordering "wibs and wice" at lunch, Wodney directs his robot to order "ribs and rice." Unfortunately, the fun ends when Camilla Capybara, the World's Meanest Rodent, returns with a vengeance. Camilla zeros in on Rodney's stutter, mocking him at a crucial moment when his robot breaks. Luckily, the robot's malfunction ends up scaring Camilla, resulting in her ego being knocked down a peg or two. In the end, she is defeated, the robot is fixed, and everyone is happy. Wodney is a wonderfully quirky character with whom many children will connect. Munsinger's illustrations are joyful and humorous. A lively addition for most libraries.-Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2011

Wodney Wat, the lovable rodent who cannot pronounce the r sound, receives a remarkable robot as a birthday present (Hooway for Wodney Wat, 1999).

This pile of metal can do something that Rodney cannot: It can parrot his speech, correcting the pronunciation. Rodney is having great fun with his new metal companion when the enormous bully, Camilla Capybara, returns. Camilla explodes into the room, terrifying everyone, including the teacher. When the robot malfunctions, developing a RRRRR roar, Camilla's weaknesses are exposed, allowing Wodney, assisted by his sidekick, to send her rolling out the door. Munsinger's over-the-top illustrations are the star here. A deft use of humorous expressions on every rodent face will allow young readers to ally with beloved Wodney as he negotiates the challenges of school: ordering wibs and wice (ribs and rice), exercising on the wings (rings) at PE and adding 2+1. With his wobot, it's a snap! Poured into her pink dress, Camilla bursts onto each spread, the pages barely able to contain her. When she is scared, her size is reduced, a fine visual clue to her diminishing power.

This sequel will be embraced by youngsters who struggle with their speech and need some hints on how to handle the capybaras in their lives. (Picture book. 4-9)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2011
Preschool-G The second book about Wodney Wat starts out quietly, with Wodney (Rodney has trouble pronouncing his Ws) receiving a robot for his birthday. The remarkable robot repeats everything he says but helpfully translates the W sounds into Rs. When class-bully Camilla Capybara, who left town at the conclusion of Hooway for Wodney Wat (1999), returns to terrorize her classmates and teacher, Wodney saves the day once again. Lester's precisely worded text creates a wide range of emotions, from joy to gloom to satisfaction, while Munsinger's expressive line-and wash illustrations capture every nuance of the amusing story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2012
Wodney Wat loves his new talking robot--it helps him pronounce his Rs. Then bullying classmate Camilla Capybara returns, making life miserable for Wodney and his friends. When the robot malfunctions and starts to roar ("like tigers...or grizzly bears...or lions"), Camilla skedaddles--again. With its humor, action-packed illustrations, and staunch defense of the underdog, this is a welcome sequel to Hooway for Wodney Wat.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)