Runaway Robot cover art

Runaway Robot

From the UK Children's Laureate 2024–2026

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Runaway Robot

By: Frank Cottrell Boyce
Narrated by: Ben Bailey Smith
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About this listen

Runaway Robot is a funny and heartwarming adventure about two best friends helping put themselves back together, from the award-winning Frank Cottrell-Boyce.

When Alfie goes to Airport Lost Property, he finds more than he bargained for. A lot more. Because there's a giant robot called Eric hidden away on the shelves.

Eric has lost one leg and half his memory. He's super strong but super clumsy. He's convinced that he's the latest technology, when he's actually nearly 100 years old and ready for the scrap heap. Can Alfie find a way to save Eric from destruction - before Eric destroys everything around him?

©2019 Frank Cottrell Boyce (P)2019 Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd
Fiction Growing Up Growing Up & Facts of Life Literature & Fiction Science Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Fantasy Robotics Funny Heartfelt Runaway
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What listeners say about Runaway Robot

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Very good

It was very good but it lacked humour. I'd listen to it again. A part of the story was a bit sad but overall it was great.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fabulous !

An unusual story that we thoroughly enjoyed. We want to go and find Eric in the Science Museum now if he’s still there !

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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ROBOT-TASTIC 🤖🤖🤖❗️❕‼️

There was a great bit when Alfie first swerved the lim-lab and went to the airport. When he was in the airport's lost property he found Eric the worlds most polite robot.🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽👽

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Normalising artificial limbs...

Normalising artificial limbs, an entertaining 'robot' story.

A very enjoyable Audible listen, my eight-year-old is still talking about it, weeks later. Wonderful to have heroes with artificial limbs as funny and real characters.

Alfie escapes school one day, ending up at the airport and the Lost Property department. Himself a recipient of an artificial arm, he ends up discovering a hidden robot on the shelves, also missing a leg. A rather eccentric robot called Eric. Who doesn't know why he's there. A cross between Kryten (Red Dwarf - pompous and forever quoting roles) and Buzz Lightyear (he thinks he's new and state-of-the-art), Eric and Alfie end up helping each other, as these stories often go.

With lots of funny scenes about a strong but oblivious robot causing mayhem, and a rather grand way about him that made us laugh, we really liked Eric. His stilted voice came over as very funny in the audiobook. And Alfie, with his detailed description of his missing arm, how he copes, his time with other similar children, made an appealing protagonist.

The history of robotics contained inside the story was also rather fascinating and my son had never even considered this side of a robot before, how old the technology might be. And to be honest, I learned something too.

As ever from Cottrell Boyce, well-developed characters and an engaging storyline. Suitable for ages 8-12. We would recommend the audio version, a very easy listen with a narrator talented and children's and robots' voices.

With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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amazing

I love it so much and I love Eric's personality I will never forget this.

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