The Lost Robot

A BARNES & NOBLE ‘BEST KID’S BOOK OF MARCH 2026’

“A joyful remedy for our times – an uplifting eco-fable of repair, renewal, and second chances.”
— Mikey Please, The Café at the Edge of the Woods

“Todd-Stanton tells a devastatingly beautiful story of abandonment and belonging, while also offering a gentle commentary on consumerism and planned obsolescence. […] This is a masterful blend of storytelling and illustration that will definitely tug at the heartstrings.”
— STARRED, Booklist Review

“A broken robot goes in search of its forgotten home in this thoughtful picture book about how nothing—and no one—is ever truly broken. In a futuristic world marred by the consequences of overconsumption, a decrepit robot wakes in a rubbish dump; it searches for the boy it was gifted to, only to find it has been replaced by a newer model. A mother and daughter rescue and repair the robot, giving it a true home—one where love endures.”
— STARRED, Foreword Reviews

“Themes of consumerism, obsolescence, and redemption are grounded in genuine emotion throughout this cinematically rendered picture book about finding one’s people and one’s place in the world”
— Publisher’s Weekly

“The skillful use of color early in the book, a palette of mostly grays and browns, sets up a celebratory explosion later, when Mio is not only repaired but also painted with a rich variety of colors […] little ones will undoubtedly cheer Mio’s eventual restoration and renewed sense of purpose and belonging.”
— Bulletin Center for Children’s Books