Here are 100 books that The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza fans have personally recommended if you like
The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza.
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I’m fascinated by robots. As a former computer programmer, systems analyst, and consultant, I’ve had an interest in technology since my first programming class in high school. I’ve been to robotics labs in Boston, Massachusetts, and Lausanne, Switzerland. My husband is a mechanical/software engineer, so STEM is a big part of our lives. In addition to Robo-Motion, I’m the author of a number of Minecraft books with STEM and coding sidebars. I’ve also published many magazine articles, one of which was the inspiration for this book. I wrote about the CRAM cockroach robot for the March 2017 issue of MUSE.
I was immediately drawn to this title because my last name starts with a “Z,” which means I’m always last. Z is an adorable young robot, who wears pajamas and a sailor’s hat. I love all the subtle, but meaningful touches in the illustrations: the partial glimpse of what Z has packed, letters on the robots, the cat that makes itself at home, and the hats that change heads. This is the kind of book I would have loved reading to my kids. With its peachy cover, this sweet story is as warm as a hug.
1
author picked
Love, Z
as one of their favorite books, and they share
why you should read it.
This book is for kids age
4,
5,
6, and
7.
What is this book about?
From the creator of Not Quite Narwhal comes the story of a young robot trying to find the meaning of "love."
When a small robot named Z discovers a message in a bottle signed "Love, Beatrice," they decide to find out what "love" means. Unable to get an answer from the other robots, they leave to embark on an adventure that will lead them to Beatrice-and back home again, where love was hiding all along.
I love a book where the good guys are pure-hearted and the bad guys are evil, but there's something so fascinating about a story where the lines of good and evil blur and bend. I firmly believe that everyone is the hero in their own story… and everyone is the villain in at least one other person’s story. My Tales of Thamorr duology features multiple heists and hijinks, and every member of our crew has plans to betray their fellows. My goal in writing stories where no one is the ‘good guy’ is to create a reading experience where you want to root for everyone and no one at the same time.
Autonomous is one of those books you finish reading and then just want to sit and stare off into space for a while.
The story takes place in a future world where Big Pharma runs basically the entire show. The main character is a drug pirate, fabricating expensive drugs to provide them to the population on the cheap… but when one of her fabbed drugs causes some horrible side effects, it kicks off a domino effect of chaos and death.
Other characters include a military agent sent to hunt our drug pirate down and his robotic, AI-powered partner. Every character is riddled with absolutely deal-breaking flaws, so if you’re looking for heroes, you’ve come to the wrong place. The story raises questions about morality, freedom, AI, and more. I can’t recommend it enough!
'Autonomous is to biotech and AI what Neuromancer was to the internet' NEAL STEPHENSON
'Something genuinely and thrillingly new' WILLIAM GIBSON
'Holy hell. Autonomous is remarkable' LAUREN BEUKES
WINNER OF THE 2018 LAMBDA AWARD FOR SFF SHORTLISTED FOR THE NEBULA AWARD 2018 SHORTLISTED FOR THE LOCUS AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT 2018
Earth, 2144. Jack is an anti-patent scientist turned drug pirate, traversing the world in a submarine as a pharmaceutical Robin Hood, fabricating cheap medicines for those who can't otherwise afford them. But her latest drug hack has left a trail of lethal overdoses as people become addicted to their…
I have loved science fiction ever since I was a kid and read all my Dad’s ancient issues of Analog Science Fiction and Factfrom the 1940s. The first book I can remember reading was The Green Hills of Earth anthology by Robert Heinlein. Fast forward to the 1990s, when, as a new professor of computer science, I began adding sci-fi short stories and movies as extra credit for my AI and robotics courses. Later as a Faculty Fellow for Innovation in High-Impact Learning Experiences at Texas A&M, I created the Robotics Through Science Fiction book series as a companion to my textbook, Introduction to AI Robotics.
A Firby-like robot pet becomes an international fad, where a “keeper” buys a little wheeled robot and is randomly paired with a “dweller” who teleoperates the robot. The robot has only a camera and microphone, but no audio output, and the identity of the keeper and dweller are hidden. The game is that the keeper is entertained trying to figure out why the robot does what it does, while the dweller is entertained by exploring a new place. What could go wrong? Lots. Lots! Little Eyes absolutely terrified me, much more than any Stephen King novel because there is nothing supernatural, it could really happen.
A visionary novel about our interconnected world, about the collision of horror and humanity, from the Man Booker-shortlisted master of the spine-tingling tale
A Guardian & Observer Best Fiction Book of 2020 * A Sunday Times Best Science Fiction Book of the Year * The Times Best Science Fiction Books of the Year * NPR Best Books of the Year
World Literature Today's 75 Notable Translations of 2020 * Ebook Travel Guides Best 5 Books of 2020 * A New York Times Notable Book of 2020
They're not pets. Not ghosts or robots. These are kentukis, and they are in…
I am a farm girl who lives in rural Texas, surrounded by big blue skies, cornfields, and winding gravel roads. After avidly reading every children’s book and young adult novel I could find, including classics like Louisa May Alcott and J.R.R. Tolkien, I took to writing without thinking twice about it. I’ve published over 10 MG, YA, and New Adult books and I alternate between writing realistic family dramas and high fantasy, with a dose of science fiction that sprang up on its own and fits neatly somewhere between the other two. And then I read more books and plan to write more of them too.
This charming chapter book turns a typical story about three children and a new pet on its head by exploring a creative idea—the adoption of a stern, dignified small robot instead. And Sir Scrap Metal is no ordinary robot, but a secret agent working for an animal protection agency. While the kids solve a mystery with his help, the transfer of furry friend to cold titanium friend was very skillful. I never thought I could care about a robot as much as a dog or cat, but this book reminded me what pet stories are about. To those who love them, pets are both superheroes who complete special missions and also buddies who want to belong—whether they bark or meow or chirp or emit monotone robotic statements.
Young sister, Dree, saves a battered and broken robot from being recycled by a dubious store owner, Mr Fitch, while on vacation with her two older brothers at Grandma's cottage near Lake Superior. Her new companion turns out to be a very sophisticated robot, Sir_12.80, used to track illegal animal smuggling baring an inscription Sir_12.80. It is being sought for its black box data by its creator, Agent Rouso, after it was thrown from a helicopter and dragged along the rocky shore by a big slobbery dog. Renamed Sir Scrap Metal by Dree, and restored via solar energy the little…
I love encouraging kids to explore engineering, design, and technology! I am a former Google product designer for kids and families. I started writing to address a growing need for coding education, particularly for girls and kids of color. Stories are a wonderful way to demonstrate concepts and to invite kids to approach STEM with creativity and imagination. I picked a range of books for this post, from non-fiction to fantastic, because different kids will respond to different kinds of stories. Through these books, I hope that kids will find inspiration and tools for creative problem-solving, for STEM and beyond.
Josh Funk and illustrator Sara Palacios bring fun into coding with this cute picture book. Pearl and her robot figure out how to build a sandcastle using basic coding concepts such as commands, loops, and functions. It’s a wonderful introduction to code with a fun story that kids will enjoy. You can also check out another adventure with Pearl and her robot in How to Code a Rollercoaster.
Pearl and her trusty rust-proof robot, Pascal, need to build a sandcastle before summer vacation is over, and they're going to do it using code. Pearl breaks the big we-need-a-sandcastle problem into smaller steps, then uses sequences, loops, and other basic coding concepts to tell Pascal exactly what to do. There are a lot of humorous mishaps along the way, but just when it looks like the sandcastle might never get built, Pearl uses her coding skills to save the day and create something even better: a gorgeous sandcastle kingdom!
As a woman who writes fantasy, sci-fi, and horror I’m fortunate my family never said “why can’t you be more girly?” Instead I was supported to challenge myself; to study psychology, psychophysiology, and archaeology; and to write about my passions. From that came my love for novels like these: with women who are complicated, difficult heroes, struggling with the same feet of clay as everyone.
Mattie is an automaton who has studied alchemy to earn independence from her creator, a man who treats her at times like a machine and at times as a woman, and who refuses to give up his control over her. She innocently takes a job to help the city’s gargoyles, never suspecting it will lead her down a path to dark political intrigue, passion, and the worst betrayal of all.
This book is deeply charming and lovely, a pleasure to read whether it’s a description of the city or a scene of action and feelings — of which there are many; Mattie’s rich interior world and her determination bring this story to life. Despite her relative lack of power she is not a woman to be underestimated.
Mattie, an intelligent automaton skilled in the use of alchemy, finds
herself caught in the middle of a conflict between gargoyles, the Mechanics, and
the Alchemists. With the old order quickly giving way to the new, Mattie
discovers powerful and dangerous secrets - secrets that can completely
alter the balance of power in the city of Ayona. This doesn't sit well with
Loharri, the Mechanic who created Mattie and still has the key to her heart
- literally.
As an author, one of my goals is to encourage kids to fall in love with reading–but I’m not an illustrator. I wish I practiced art more as a kid. If I had, maybe I’d be illustrating my own books. If only these five books existed forty years ago, perhaps I wouldn’t have given up on art. So, in addition to falling in love with reading, I’d love to inspire those same kids to keep exploring their artistic sides. I’ve seen how these books invigorate the artistic spirit of creatives and I hope they do the same for you.
It’s amazing what a little crayon can do, especially when it’s broken.
Inspired by Ohi’s viral broken crayon illustrations, Park invites two aliens into the planet of broken crayons where magic is made. It’s amazing what a little friendship and art can do together (hmm, similar theme to Dear Unicorn, now that I think of it). Bonus: check out Ohi’s social media for loads more creative found object artwork.
This wildly imaginative, crayon-inspired picture book shows that with a bit of teamwork and a universe of creativity, anything is possible!
Buzz! Zap! CRASH!
Gurple and Preen are in a big mess!
When they crash-land onto an unfamiliar planet with nothing but boxes of crayons, they must work together to get the mission back on course.
From Newbery Award–winning author Linda Sue Park and illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi comes a story about all the best things that can come out of a box of crayons.
I’ve never forgotten how thrilling it felt to read a book on my own for the first time. Mouse Soup, Frog and Toad, and Amelia Bedelia are still among my most-loved books to this day. I particularly adore early readers created by authors and illustrators who aren’t afraid to get silly (James Marshall forever!). Stories for beginning readers are my favorite kinds of stories to write, and I always aim to write books that make kids laugh. What better way for them to discover that reading can be fun?
Is there such a thing as too silly in children’s books? No way, I say! This book is book 6 in the side-splitting A Jack Book series. It’s super silly and a little weird—just the way I like my books.
The mischievous Jack has a habit of swiping snacks and ladies' lipsticks (great for writing on walls). So when Jack figures out how to clone himself, watch out! This book is a storytime hit with dry humor and escalating chaos… until the super silly and a little weird ending.
From New York Times bestselling author Mac Barnett and Geisel Award-winning illustrator Greg Pizzoli, an uproarious early reader series about a mischievous rabbit, a cranky old lady, and a lovable dog.
The Lady gives Jack a gift. It's a lab kit! Jack goes into the shed to experiment and doesn't come out until he's made another Jack and another Jack and another. But one Jack was already too many. Can Jack stop his naughty robot clones before they destroy the town?
Welcome to the laugh-out-loud and irreverent world of Jack, a new early reader series by the New York Times…
I love to read, and sometimes I want to be lost in a story or world for just an hour or two. Oh, I’m always sorry when a good story ends, no matter how long or short. But a good novella is like a slice of homemade chocolate cake. I might want to eat more, but if it’s perfectly done, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as that first, warm slice out of the oven.
This entire series is awesome. The humor is out of this world funny (pun intended). It didn’t take me more than a few pages to warm up to Murderbot, even if he/she is a robot. Oh, there’s enough of a human brain stem left to ensure a soul filled with humor and the best parts of humanity: self-sacrifice, empathy, and cleverness, not to mention a bad attitude towards life and work in general that I could totally sympathize with.
This first adventure includes kidnappings, rescues, intrigue, and burgeoning friendships. These books are a mix of space opera and science fiction. My husband, not much of a reader, listened to the audiobooks and is also a huge fan of the series.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells begins The Murderbot Diaries, a new science fiction action and adventure series that tackles questions of the ethics of sentient robotics. It appeals to fans of Westworld, Ex Machina, Ann Leckie's Imperial Raadch series, or lain M. Banks' Culture novels. The main character is a deadly security droid that has bucked its restrictive programming and is balanced between contemplative self discovery and an idle instinct to kill all humans. In a corporate dominated s pa cef a ring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by…
David Millett is a digital artist. He is an accomplished author, filmmaker, and producer of paper and eBooks. He loves writing, painting, filmmaking, composing, and performing music.
"Reason" is a science fiction short story first published in the April 1941 issue of Astounding Science Fiction and collected in I, Robot (1950), The Complete Robot (1982), and Robot Visions (1990). It is part of Asimov's Robot series and was the second of Asimov's positronic robot stories to see publication. It tells the story of Cutie, a new class of robot that was designed to autonomously run a space station, which supplies energy via microwave beams to an energy-starved Earth. Cutie comes to realize, because he is so perfect and his human companions are so imperfect, that humans could not have created him. The book explores what it means to be human.
From the writer whose name is synonymous with the science of robotics comes five decades of robot visions-36 landmark stories and essays, plus three rare tales-gathered together in one volume.
From Publishers Weekly
NAL launches its new SF imprint, ROC, with a collection of 18 of Asimov's ( Foundation ) robot stories. The earliest tales here, written from 1940 to 1960, remain among the most-loved in the field, the best being "Little Lost Robot," about a robot who obeys an order to "get lost." "The Bicentennial Man" (1976) about one robot's desires and efforts to be first free, then equal,…