Horn Book

After a sweet young robot, Z, finds a note in a bottle signed, "Love, Beatrice," the bot sets out to find Beatrice and learn what love is. On this quest, Z meets many creatures that offer a range of definitions (e.g., a crow mother: "Love is sharing your food"). Soft-colored scenes surround the boxy metallic robot and its rusty robotic caretakers, and the pleasant journey has a satisfying conclusion.

Kirkus Reviews

A young robot learns what love is.Out playing, Z finds a message in a bottle, but all that's legible is "Love, Beatrice." Z asks the older robots what "love" is as they help the young one through the bedtime routine, but: "DOES NOT COMPUTE." So Z sets off to find both Beatrice and the meaning of love. Journeying in a boat that's captained by a cat, Z asks everyone they meet. But the crow's, baker's, and school children's ideas of love don't help Z understand. As night falls, the duo sail to an island. Who should live there but Beatrice, an old woman who thinks about her answer as she and Z bake cookies, play chess, and dance: "It's warm. And cozy. And safe. You'll know it when you feel it." Just as Z is ready to power down, the worried older robots arrive. And as they read a story, leave a light, and give a good-night kiss, Z finally has a word to go with the feeling that's been there all along. Sima's robots are gray 3-D shapes with oval glowing eyes, elongated or nonexistent noses, and line mouths. Their emotional expressions are limited to what their mouths and articulated arms are doing. The spring-bright colors surrounding the metal robots keep the book from feeling too heavy. Beatrice presents white; the other humans are notably diverse, including one child who uses a wheelchair.A good springboard for kids and their caregivers to talk about what love means to them. (Picture book. 4-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Z, a robot with a boxy head, pincer arms, and kind, yellow eyes, discovers a message in a bottle that-s -too smudgy to read,- but ends, -Love, Beatrice.- The robot seeks out the meaning of the two words, but the robots in its family cannot compute its meaning. With a paper hat atop its head and a bindle over one shoulder, Z journeys via cat-helmed boat through a narrow waterway, meeting a beaver, a turtle, and a crow feeding its chicks: -Love is sharing your food, even when it-s delicious,- the crow says. A friendly baker shares her definition of love, and children on a playground have their own ideas: -Love is lawn gnomes!- and -Love is wishing on a star!- The varying definitions don-t add up for Z, who worries about understanding love-s meaning. Characteristic illustrations by Sima (Not Quite Narwhal) playfully juxtapose friendly, angular robot characters with sunny meadows and cozy residences. Love, the robot finally learns, can be many different things-and sometimes it-s closer to home than one realizes. Ages 4-8. (Dec.)

School Library Journal (Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

PreS-Gr 3 A young robot named Z finds a message in a bottle signed "Love, Beatrice" and is determined to find Beatrice, hoping she will help reveal the meaning of this mysterious word: love. Along the way, Z encounters many people and animals, none of whom are Beatrice, but they all are happy to help Z figure out the meaning of love. "Love is sharing your food even when it's delicious" says the crow. "Love is wishing on a star" says a child at recess. "Love is lawn gnomes!" says another. Absolutely none of these answers compute for Z. Just when Z is about to give up, they finally meet Beatrice and she explains that "love is difficult to explain" but that "you'll know it when you feel it." With a little help from the other robots, Z finally understands. They find their way back home, where love was waiting all along. Sima's cheerful, digital illustrations radiate warmth as they depict adorable Z's journey. This sweet and humorous story reminds readers that love can be found in familiar things like a bedtime story, a night light, and a goodnight kiss. VERDICT This tender and entertaining story is recommended for all libraries. Elizabeth Blake, Brooklyn Public Library