By Kirsty Applebaum (author)
"A striking and memorable futuristic fable about what it is to be human and what it is to be a friend"
Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19
Ebook Digital. Available Immediately. Country restrictions apply. £7.99
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Narrated by Ivy, the Troofriend 560 Mark IV robot, purchased to be her friend by Sarah’s busy parents instead of the puppy she wished for, means that we have a unique perspective on the story from the very start. Seeing the world through robotic eyes gives rise to lots of humour, but the incredibly subtle changes in Ivy’s language and actions also builds the tension throughout as we can see Ivy beginning to think for herself and as humans, we can recognise her increasingly human reactions and feelings, which are of course forbidden!
It is fascinating to see the progress of the public outcry about the dangers of these new robots in the light of the spread of the current pandemic panic. We observe too the changes in Sarah as her empathy and compassion develop. Sarah’s parental neglect and the friendship and self-esteem issues she faces at school will resonate with many children and really engage them with the moral and ethical issues the book raises with such a skilful light touch.
The typesetting and use of different fonts for Ivy’s speech and her internal dialogue make this a very accessible and fast paced read and incidentally make it a sure fire hit for a class readaloud if you like doing voices! Just like the authors highly praised debut The Middler , this is a superbly rewarding and highly recommended novel.
How real is AI? A topical and sinister middle grade novel about artificial intelligence from the widely acclaimed author of The Strange Disappearance of Imogen Good.
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I am AI. I am your best friend. Or am I?
Imagine having the perfect friend, one who never steals, lies or bullies. Now you can, with the TrooFriend 560, the latest in artificial intelligence! What can go wrong with a robot buddy? Especially one that's developing human characteristics and feelings ... and who has just run away with her human.
"A heartfelt, compelling sci-fi story" - Guardian
Praise for The Middler;
“This is a quirky, original adventure about friendship and loyalty, betrayal and trust, kindness and greed, told as Maggie’s vibrant narrative, with striking characters and a happy ending in which all siblings are equal.” – Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times, Children’s Book of the Week
“I thought I’d almost reached my fill of dystopian novels, but Kirsty Applebaum… has rebooted the genre. The plot pulls you along and I liked Maggie more and more as she grew in courage.” – Alex O’Connell, The Times, Children’s Book of the Week
“Maggie, a worthless Middler, learns to fight back for what’s right in this brilliant story of forbidden friendship, betrayal and deceit.” – Mel Darbon, author of Rosie Loves Jack
“[P]age-turning masterful middle-grade!” – Tracy Darnton, author of The Truth About Lies
“This unusual and exciting story is a thought-provoking tale about forbidden friendship, thinking for yourself, and he importance of standing up for what’s right.” – The Week Junior, Book of the Week
“Applebaum explores themes of family, friendship, loyalty and betrayal in an assured debut.” – The Bookseller
Kirsty was born in Essex and grew up in Hampshire. She has had a wide variety of jobs including bookselling, railway re-signalling, picking stones off conveyor belts, putting lids on perfume bottles and teaching Pilates.
She now lives with her husband on top of a hill in Winchester.
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The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed TrooFriend and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
TrooFriend features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, School Stories, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback, Ebook. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
TrooFriend was written by Kirsty Applebaum and published by Nosy Crow an imprint of Nosy Crow Ltd
TrooFriend has 196 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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