TrooFriend by Kirsty Applebaum

TrooFriend

YOUR.ONE.TRUE.FRIEND.

I AM A TROOFRIEND

I DO NOT BULLY.

I DO NOT HARM.

I DO NOT LIE.

I DO NOT COVET OR STEAL OR ENVY.

I AM YOUR PERFECT FRIEND.

YOUR

ONE

TROOFRIEND.

Yes, you probably already know I ADORE ADORE  books about robots!  I am not entirely sure why but they often have a slightly 'political' flavour which intrigues me. There is certainly an undercurrent of subversion in TrooFriend.

Sarah has busy parents. She is an only child. Mum and dad decide to buy Sarah a Jenson & Jenson TrooFriend 560 Mark IV.

"Each one of us is unique. We have different skin colours, different eye colours and different hair colours. ... Our clothes are made of TrooCloth. ... It is tear-resistant, water-resistant and crease-resistant."

Sarah names her Troofriend Ivy. The reason for this will give you a smile. Back in the factory Ivy did not have a name she was one android robot Mark IV of one hundred and forty-four. She was number eighty-three.

Sarah does not want an android robot as a friend she tells her parents she wants a dog. Mum insists Ivy will be the perfect 'friend'. Sarah disagrees but over the coming weeks she makes some amazing discoveries about Ivy which cause her to totally rethink her ideas.  Look again at the list of qualities at the beginning of this post. Perhaps these things are not true. Has the factory made a mistake? Do Jenson & Jenson TrooFriend 560 Mark IV robots actually experience emotions and if they do is this dangerous?

This book has some truly funny moments alongside a poignant story about feelings and friendships. I really appreciated the distinct 'voice' Kirsty Applebaum gives to Ivy. It is so funny the way Ivy describes the kitchen appliances such as the dishwasher as inferior robots. Every time she wakes up she states the date and weather. The repetition of this is hilarious. I also loved the way Ivy used her factory specifications to describe the hair and eye colours of each human that she meets:

Sarah eyes Hazel 101 hair Chestnut 29 in a classic collar bone cut.
Keanna eyes Deep Brown 02 hair Darkest Best Brown in a Coily half-up-half-down style.
Milly eyes Mint Green 204 hair too messy to say which Jenson & Jenson standard style it would be.

Here is a description of one of the teachers from the day Sarah takes Ivy to school:

Mrs Vickerman "I look at her hair. Frost Blonde 52 Retro Beehive. It stays completely still when she moves just like the hair on a Jenson & Jenson TrooFriend 560 Mark III. It was considered a sub-standard design aspect on the Jenson & Jenson TrooFriend 560 Mark III, which led to the development of the TrooHair for the Jenson & Jenson Troofriend 560 Mark IV."

Ivy also judges truth and emotions in percentages.
"Rob-Dad's eyebrows scrunch up. It is likely to an accuracy of 74% that he is confused."
"Sarah's eyebrows scrunch up. It is likely to an accuracy of 59% that she is angry and it is also likely to an accuracy of 59% that she is worried."

I think this is a book that any reader aged 9+ will truly enjoy. Well done to publisher Nosy Crow - this book is a winner!

Click these review quotes for more plot details:

A moving and philosophical story told in such a way that it is impossible to put down. Bookmurmuration

The plot is totally addictive making this book impossible to put down. Madge Reviews

Written in an entertaining, quirky and accessible way, Troofriend is a thought-provoking story that will have you hooked. BookTrust

I would pair this book with The Wild Robot by Peter Brown and Eager by Helen Fox.