Here’s a book about a robot who likes to … SMASH! He’ll smash the usual things, like flowers and soda cans, but that’s just the beginning. This smash-happy guy crushes everything from pirates, ninjas and zombies to Brussels sprouts and all-talk radio. Whatever it is, he’ll gleefully SMASH it to smithereens. One day, he finally meets something he doesn’t feel like smashing: a stylish, super-smashing girl-robot four times his size with sledgehammer hands as big as garbage trucks. Instantly, he’s smitten. But while he’s deep in daydreams about their robot romance - SMASH! The oblivious girl robot crushes him flat. It might just be the beginning of a perfect relationship. Minimal text and retro-style 8-bit illustrations lend this story the characteristic feel of an old video game, with each smashed object yielding a bright burst of pixels. Joyful destruction takes centre stage in this fun, unique play on what it means to suffer your first crush.
AUTHOR: Stephen Martin is a genre-filmmaker, specializing in blood, gore and whimsical storytelling. His award-winning short films have been presented at international festivals such as Vancouver International Film Festival, Screamfest in LA, and Raindance in London, England. His most recent short film Dead Friends won the World Kids International Film Festival, where it was selected for screenings in classrooms all across India. Robot SMASH! is Stephen’s first children’s picture book. ILLUSTRATOR: Juan Carlos Solon is a game artist whose illustrations have appeared in UTNE Reader, Runner’s World, the National Post, Financial Post and Pylon as well as in a book for adults (The Geek’s Guide to Dating). This is his first children’s book. Juan Carlos was born was in the Philippines.