George Gearing is a whiz with mechanics, which isn’t surprising, since his uncle runs a scrapyard. George has a ton of friends—but unfortunately they are all either robotic or over 65. But when his best bot, Jackbot, gets an unexpected upgrade, things start to change. Jackbot’s amazing new abilities catch the eye of Dr. Micron, head of robotics at TinkerTech, and suddenly George thinks that his future isn’t so bleak after all. Then Jackbot is kidnapped, and all the robots in town start losing control. Suddenly it’s up to George and his new friend Anne to test their mettle and save the day. What happens when your best friend holds the key to a robot uprising? Boy and His Robot: George and Jackbot aren’t just master and machine; they’re best friends. But when Jackbot gets a mysterious upgrade, their friendship is put to the ultimate test. - Robots Run Amok: When Jackbot is kidnapped, every bot in the town of Terabyte Heights starts to malfunction. It’s up to George to figure out who is pulling the strings before it’s too late. - Unlikely Friendship: To save his bot, George has to team up with Anne, a girl he’s just met. Together, they must outsmart a powerful enemy and uncover a shocking conspiracy. - STEM for Kids: A funny, fast-paced chapter book packed with clever inventions, mechanical mayhem, and creative problem-solving perfect for young engineers and tinkerers. "Young robot enthusiasts will surely be amused." —Kirkus "A humorous, fast-paced, action-packed science fiction novel." —School Library Journal "Clever, whimsical, and fast-paced, this adventure never loses its sense of fun." —Publishers Weekly "Amusing names...loads of action, and comical observations combine with Fujita's anime-inspired illustrations to offer a spirited beginning to a fun series." —Booklist Online "The snappy pace and straightforward storytelling give this accessibility to a younger crowd, while Fujita's occasional digital artwork complements the story's techy underpinnings and adds a bit of visual interest. Aspiring mechanics will be inspired by what Jackbot and his cohorts can do." —Bulletin C. J. Richards has loved tinkering with gadgets since he was a little boy. He remembers fondly the time he accidentally blew up his father’s radio after some experimental rewiring. Mr. Richards lives with his wife, his cat, and his eight televisions. Goro Fujita has been fascinated by drawing since childhood. He was born in Japan and moved with his family to Germany when he was three years old. He now lives in California, where he works as an illustrator and visual development artist on feature films and TV commercials. 1 A voice boomed in the darkness.    “GET UP, YOU LAZY SLOB!”    George Gearing opened his eyes and, still half asleep, lifted his head from the pillow. “Who? What?”    “ON THE FLOOR AND GIVE ME TWENTY, PEA BRAIN!”    George rubbed his eyes. The light that filled the room was blinding.    “OUT OF BED, MISTER!”    George had tried to reprogram his Sergeant Wake-Me-Up clock to speak in a gentle, feminine voice, but something must have gone wrong. It had reverted to factory settings.    “I WON’T TELL YOU AGAIN!”    The clock started blaring a recording of a bugle from across the room on George’s desk. The windows rattled with the sound.    George plugged his fingers into his ears. “Jackbot!” he shouted.    The door opened, and three feet of scrap and spare parts rattled into the room on wobbly legs. Jackbot’s head tilted toward the bed, and his green eyes flashed.    “Yes, George,” he said in his expressionless mechanical voice.    “Shut that thing up, would you?”    “Yes, George.”    “DON’T MAKE ME COME OVER THERE!”    Jackbot scooped up the alarm clock in his right pincer and placed it on the floor. He raised a metal foot, motors whirring.    “OF ALL THE GOOD-FOR-NOTHING, INSUBORDINATE—”     Crunch.    Bits of metal and plastic flew across the room. The bugle gave a final despairing wail, then fell silent.    “That was—uh—a little extreme,” George said. But it was no use blaming Jackbot. Robots just do what they are told.    George sat up in bed. “Could I have my glasses?”    Jackbot trotted forward and handed George his glasses using his left-hand suction grip.    “Thanks.”    “Yes, George.”    George put his glasses on, and the mess of his room swam into focus. Transistor boards and loose wires littered the floor beside an open copy of Professor Droid’s book Advanced Robotics. George had been working late into the night on a new baseball drive for Jackbot. If he could just program him to catch, their games would be a lot more fun.    George climbed out of bed and picked his way through the debris to his closet to find some clothes. A couple of old photos had fallen off the door, so he carefully stuck them back up. One, from last summer, showed Jackbot and George fishing at the lake. The other showed Jackbot teetering precariously on George’s skateboard. George grinned, rec