Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot

Title: Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot

Bibliographic information:

Author: Dav Pilkey

Illustrator: Dan Santat (Martin Ontiveros for original edition)

• Series: Ricky Ricotta (Book 1)
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.; Revised edition (April 29, 2014)
• Language: English

Reader's Annotation:

Ricky Ricotta is a very lonely mouse; wanting to find a friend.  Mighty Robot is the pawn of Dr. Stinky McNasty; and he doesn't want to destroy the city.  Can Ricky and his Mighty Robot become friends and defeat the evil Dr. Stinky?

Interest Level: Ages 4-8

Lexile level: 520

Awards, if applicable: Not Applicable

Plot summary:  The story begins with Ricky Ricotta - he is desperately lonely, and bullied because of his small size.  And it begins with the Mighty Robot, built by the mad rat Dr. Stinky McNasty and tasked with destroying Squeakyville. But when Giant Robot sees the mice of Squeakyville, he refuses to destroy them all.  Dr. McNasty goes to zap the robot to punish him, but Ricky is watching and kicks a ball at the evil doctor; smashing his ray gun.  Ricky and the Robot become friends, while Dr. Stinky McNasty is plotting his revenge.  Wait… Is that a giant lizard?!

Critical review: The true strength of this series of books is in the quality of world building the author utilizes.  It should be cliched - the plot in the first book especially is something straight out of 60s Japanese monster films.  And yet, the books are set in a charming, well constructed world with the daily dramas of a real world.  Dav Santat’s artwork is well integrated into the overall story, with small comics and “Flip-o-Rama” animation for the “battle sequences” adding immense visual and sensory appeal.

Why include it?

This book is a wonderful introductory chapter book for reluctant readers.  Made by the creator of the Captain Underpants series, this book is full of vibrant illustrations (in full color for the revised edition), Pilkey's beloved "Flip-O-Rama!" segments, and comics.  It is approachable for younger readers. Also, with the increasing interest in STEM in libraries, it is a great way to tie in non-fiction and science books with something that is just fun and playful.