The Whimsical Robot is a beloved collection of 'short-shorts,' wholesome science fiction made famous by celebrated Japanese author Shinichi Hoshi. The stories are almost a half-century old, yet they speak to current, very urgent matters of today.
Written for school-age children, the stories charm and challenge readers of all ages. Ever so gently, they rattle our deepest fears about humanity's blind embrace of science and technology. The collection is as much a moral argument as it is a literary joyride: fables for the high-tech era. Whereas Aesop employed animals, Hoshi's stories feature curious space aliens, dubious scientists, half-baked inventions, foolhardy investors and capricious machinery.
The Whimsical Robot is considered a true classic in Japanese youth literature. Many describe it as a perfect entry for young readers. This English version opens up the collection to an even wider audience of young - and not-so-young - next-generation Hoshi fans.
Translated by Marina Hoshi and Kim Hines
Foreword by Yoshimitsu Sawamoto
Cover illustration by Moona Whyte
