Robot Island
Published on 14. October 2025
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-77488-728-8 (ISBN)
Description
Forced into stealing valuable books from a rich widow, Willis takes refuge on an abandoned island populated by robots in this new middle-grade novel by acclaimed writer Cary Fagan. For fans of The Wild Robot.
It isn't bad enough that Willis has to live with his cold uncle Tod in a dusty old house of used books. He can't even spend time with his friends Harrison and Galaxi because of the nasty after-school jobs his uncle makes him take on. But then his uncle asks him to visit an old widow lady in the mansion on the hill.
To his surprise, Willis likes Mrs. Shorthouse and even the books they read together (Little Women, Great Expectations). Meanwhile, taking a rowboat ride, Willis discovers an abandoned town from the 1950s populated by square-headed robots. What is the connection between Mrs. Shorthouse and Robot Island? What will happen after the police find out that Willis has been stealing rare books from the mansion? And when Willis turns on the electricity and the robots of Robot Island come to life, will they turn out to be friends or enemies?
It isn't bad enough that Willis has to live with his cold uncle Tod in a dusty old house of used books. He can't even spend time with his friends Harrison and Galaxi because of the nasty after-school jobs his uncle makes him take on. But then his uncle asks him to visit an old widow lady in the mansion on the hill.
To his surprise, Willis likes Mrs. Shorthouse and even the books they read together (Little Women, Great Expectations). Meanwhile, taking a rowboat ride, Willis discovers an abandoned town from the 1950s populated by square-headed robots. What is the connection between Mrs. Shorthouse and Robot Island? What will happen after the police find out that Willis has been stealing rare books from the mansion? And when Willis turns on the electricity and the robots of Robot Island come to life, will they turn out to be friends or enemies?
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Ontario
Canada
Target group
Children/juvenile
Reading Age: From 8 to 12 years
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 211 mm
Width: 142 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
363 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-77488-728-8 (9781774887288)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
CARY FAGAN's kids' books include Hans Christian Andersen Lives Next Door; Water, Water (winner of the Vine National Canadian Jewish Book Award); The Collected Works of Gretchen Oyster; the Kaspar Snit novels; and the Wolfie and Fly chapter book series. He is also the author of many picture books, including Mr. Zinger's Hat (Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award winner), Little Blue Chair, and Bear Wants to Sing. Cary has received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People for his body of work. He lives in Toronto, Canada.