A Living Robot from the Planet Kurutura

By Olga Korobkova

What should a modern children’s book be? To begin with, it owes nothing to anyone—not even its young readers. They may choose to read it, or they may not.

To make them want to read, however, a story needs a hero. A vivid character is half the success of any engaging tale, and this book appears to have found one. Meet CROOT.

Who is he? A robot named CROOT. It may be unexpected, but it certainly feels modern. There is one important detail: this robot is not merely a collection of parts, a talking head or a soulless machine. He is alive. If a robot reflects a human being and carries a spark of reason and light within him, why should he not make contact with the people of Earth?

The robots live on Kurutura, a beautifully named planet in the Roborumb system. Special craft called Star-Skaters make interstellar travel possible, so nothing stands in the way of meeting people. Children make friends quickly, and CROOT is still a child himself, even though he understands many complex and advanced technologies. Everything falls naturally into place.

The Space Age began in the second half of the twentieth century. Science fiction had explored space even earlier, but real human spaceflight gave the genre fresh energy, including stories written for children. Space travel, distant planets and other galaxies remain fascinating to young readers, especially while real exploration continues. The project’s slogan, “The Space of Your Childhood,” is particularly apt—childhood is a universe in itself.

The story moves smoothly but briskly. It is an August evening in a country garden beneath a starry sky. Two children are nearing the end of their holidays when an alien spacecraft suddenly appears—or perhaps a small space boat.

The book is part of a series about the clever, cheerful and energetic young robot CROOT. He encounters unusual situations, discovers new worlds and, alongside old and new friends, shows the value of kindness, honesty and mutual support. His stories carry a deeply positive and creative message.

The book presents a carefully developed universe rich in intriguing detail. Young readers will find dynamic plot turns, extraordinary machines, alien ways of life and thoughtful relationships between peers from Earth and Kurutura. The writing is engaging and instructive without empty preaching. The characters have distinctive voices, the humour is gentle and the author’s imagination is abundant. Planets in CROOT’s universe resemble cities in ours, each with its own purpose. The hardest part of writing science fiction is stepping beyond familiar assumptions and viewing an unknown world with an open mind—with a child’s eyes. Olga Golubyatnikova achieves this beautifully in Beautiful Earth, part of the CROOT the Robot, the Great Inventor series. Violetta Andrianova’s bright, colourful and spirited illustrations add even more joy. It is simply cool—or, better yet, CROOT-cool.

https://rewizor.ru/literature/spetsproekty/knijnaya-lavka-revizora-ru/stati/jivoy-robot-s-planety-kurutura