KIRKUS REVIEWS

"In Kimbril’s middle-grade novel, a disgruntled nanobot eager to leave a human body reluctantly teams up with a red blood cell.

Robot has the artificial intelligence to think and feel for himself. But the tiny, medical-grade nanobot is still at the mercy of 12-year-old Jack, who controls Robot’s hardware via a smartphone app. During his middle school’s STEM Fair, Jack shows off Robot under a microscope lens. After an accident, Robot gains control of his titanium self, only to wind up entering Jack’s body through a cut. He soon bumps into Red, a red blood cell who is one among many others in the blood vessels. Red sports a bubbly personality in glaring contrast to Robot, who’s perpetually disgusted by humans and all the things their bodies do. But Robot needs help—his battery is draining, and he can’t power up unless he finds his way back outside. Robot and Red, and a few others they bump into, embark on a search for viable exits before Robot’s battery hits the dreaded zero. Kimbril deftly blends educational material with good-natured humor. Robot’s endless complaints are consistently amusing, as when he begs, “Someone please delete me!” or calls Jack a “fleshy bag of meat.” Red is an effective, upbeat foil for Robot’s dourness. As the duo comes up with means of escape, readers learn all about the human body; Robot and Red navigate the heart’s atria, dodge frisbee-like platelets, and debate which bodily structure (such as the digestive system) offers the best way out. Robot’s depleting battery isn’t his only problem—he certainly doesn’t want to admit that he’ll miss Red when they say goodbye. Many of the author’s gleefully cartoonish illustrations preface chapters and include such delights as an angry, mohawk-wearing germ and a weird macrophage (they’re described as “freaky tentacled-alien-looking dudes”).

Human anatomy is rendered outright hilarious in this smart, rib-tickling tale."

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BookLife Reviews

"The unlikely friendship of a gruff nanobot and a lively blood cell is at the heart of Kimbril’s fast-paced, informative, and utterly charming middle-grade comic adventure, Robot and Red: Blood Bytes! A medical-grade nanobot whose programming allowed him to develop feelings, Robot is eager to escape from twelve-year-old Jack’s science project, with “lofty goals of doing absolutely nothing and taking orders from absolutely no one.” Instead, Robot is sucked into Jack’s bloodstream through an open cut, and must find a way out—a quest that becomes a race against the clock.

As Robot's battery life depletes and his systems keep glitching, he’s forced to accept help from Red, a spunky red blood cell who becomes his tour guide through the inner workings of Jack's complex body systems. Their sharp-witted banter drives this action-packed thrill ride full of intense feelings and scientific wonder. The compassionate and optimistic Red shows him the way, both physically and emotionally. Robot's steely exterior and hardened heart begin to crumble, and his attachment to not only Red but Jack becomes a lesson on humanity and true friendship.

Young readers will gain a deeper understanding of the human body—inside and out—thanks to this imaginative blend of anatomy and technology, further enlivened by Kimbril’s delightful and instructive illustrations. Along with the educational benefits of Robot’s journey, Kimbril emphasizes the importance of social connections. Feeling abandoned by his programmer, whom he came to mistrust, Robot is hurt and longs to be on his own. But he comes to realize that being part of something—like finding community and allies—is key to a fulfilling existence. Exploring the gamut of human emotions and the inner workings of the human body, Robot and Red offers a model of cooperation and resilience for young readers eager to understand more about themselves.

Takeaway: Fantastic voyage with oddball companions, fueled by science and friendship."