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This one-of-a-kind, eccentric and intriguing picture book tells the story of Daniel who cannot have a pet cat because he is, alas, allergic to cats. Enter Professor George, a neighbor who teaches bioengineering at a big university and is inspired by the challenge of creating a bionic cat. Children, too, may be inspired to follow the professor’s methodical approach to creating a cat robot. The author, a renowned authority on ceramic engineering, provides a double page of diagrams of the "design features" of his bionic cat. It can purr and has fiber-optic fur that converts sunlight into electricity for its battery-powered four legs. The right reader/listener will be mesmerized by this glimpse into the world of robot-engineering.
PARENTS' CHOICE, Fall 2000 |
Gr. 2-4--This chapter book in picture-book format begins with young Daniel bemoaning the fact that he will never have a cat because of his allergies. Then his neighbor, a robotics engineer, decides to build him a bionic pet with fiber-optic fur and whiskers made from "tiny little electronic ceramic sensors." The finished product looks just like the real thing, but when the professor checks the creature's voice, it says "Boing-Boing" instead of "Meow-Meow." He puts the project temporarily on hold, but when Daniel needs a present for his mother, he accepts the feline as is, asserting that the sound it emits makes it more special. Cartoon watercolor-and-ink illustrations of the bald, white-bearded professor and his marmalade invention appear on almost every page, and two blue-print diagrams of the bionic kitty, labeled with plenty of technical jargon, introduce the story. This original book will find an audience among youngsters who love modern science.
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, August 2000 |
"The little robot was just the size of a cat. It had four legs that could move with battery power, and light-yellow electronic eyes that told the little computer inside its belly where it was going." But. A great big but. Can the bionic cat make sounds? "He rubbed the bionic cat's nose and stroked its fur at the same time and it said 'Boing-Boing!'" Professor George is the creator of this cat that says Boing-Boing and he's going to fix that when Daniel, the little boy who needs a cat (but can't have one because of his allergic reaction to the real thing), says, "But Professor George, this isn't just any old cat. This is a bionic cat." A delightful tale told in colorfully down-home drawings and shrewd text that is published by the American Ceramic Society because Professor George shows how using ceramics and electronic materials can create a wonderful semi-animal pet. This is the first in a charming series concerning Daniel and Boing-Boing the Bionic Cat. Not only does this series teach about synthetic creations but it takes us in a spunky world where problems can be overcome using our trusty computer. There ought to be more boing-boings in the world. Forget the meows. Soft words and pictures create a world of fabulous invention.
THE BOOK READER Spring/Summer 2000 |
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I wanted to send some fan mail for Boing-Boing. I am a ceramic engineer and mother of a 4-year old daughter. I've been watching for your book, Boing-Boing the Bionic Cat, since I first heard it was coming out, and bought a copy right away. My daughter, Nadine, loved the book. She actually sat patiently as I read every word to her. Somewhere in the technical explanation, she started to lose it-then the cat said "Boing-Boing!" She was hooked. Nadine has even renamed her stuffed cat "Boing-Boing." I loved your very realistic portrayal of the scientist; the other thing I love is that you use all the terms I use at home at the dinner table. I don't think there was a single technical term in the story that my daughter has never heard, but she certainly had no basis for understanding them before. Another very significant compliment comes from my mother, who loved the story. She is a librarian and has taught just about every grade from preschool through high school. Thanks for a scientific breakthrough (a non-boring, accessible scientific book) and a cute story. I'm watching for the rest. Kathy Carr |
Boing-Boing the Bionic Cat is a delightful story on many levels. Author Larry L. Hench has offered comfort to children with allergies, he has used science and technology to solve a problem, and he has cast scientists as other than mad or absent-minded. Accompanied by enchanting illustrations by first time book artist, Ruth Denise Lear, the story of the creation of a loveable bionic cat and the little boy, Daniel, who dearly wanted a pet, will draw an audience who will be eager for the further adventures of these two charming characters.(Suggested for Grades 1 - 5) |
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Time for 'paws' at Viers Mill Boing-Boing Springs to Life (from Imperial College Reporter, London) |
©2005 Larry Hench and Can of Worms Enterprises Ltd