First published in 1990 by award-winning author/illustrator William Joyce, the story follows Wilbur Robinson’s best friend (who is not actually named) as he spends the day with Wilbur, helping to track down Grandfather Robinson’s missing teeth.
As the boys search the gargantuan Robinson household, they run into more and more kooky and crazy Robinsons doing futuristic and completely absurd (but super fun) things.
Cousin Laszlo is testing his antigravity device, Uncle Gaston is shooting himself out of a cannon and someone’s left the time machine on, so dinosaurs roam the backyard. There’s also an octopus butler, a giant talking bug and snow in the east wing.
A Day With Wilbur Robinson will ignite your creativity and let your mind run wild with endless possibilities. It is inventive and unique, and children will love the craziness contained within the covers.
With detailed and striking illustrations, there is also much to explore. Joyce’s imaginative interpretation of futuristic gadgets, such as the brain augmentor and some kind of bubble transport device, are delightful and interesting.
This is a great story to get kids talking about science, technology and inventing. But do note that if you’re looking for a retelling of the movie adaptation, you won’t find it in this book. The original story is a much simpler tale than the movie, though you will find some similar scenes across the two formats.
With a higher word count and some more complex concepts, this one is best suited for children aged five and up, but if your kids are into cool gadgets, crazy inventions and time travelling dinosaurs, this is a picture book they will adore.
Title: A Day With Wilbur Robinson
Author/Illustrator: Willian Joyce
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, $24.99
Publication Date: 1 June 2017
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket
ISBN: 9781481489515
For ages: 5 - 8
Type: Picture Book
