The cover of this book shows a boxy little robot with BIG eyes, a single antenna, and a degree meter on his chest. This could not be farther from the robot inside the pages of this book, but it is cute and grabs the reader’s attention. The reader, whose attention it grabs, though, might be younger than the intended book’s audience. It is short book, only 50 pages, great for reluctant readers.

Shawn is a 12 year old who loves basketball. When Shawn comes home after a dismal time of shooting hoops after school with his friend, his father nabs him at the door for not putting his jacket away properly. Then after dinner, a dinner his mother can hardly eat because she is so excited about the news she wants to share with the family about her work. ” Mom came home with so many wacky ideas it was hard to believe she had a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering.” (10) This time she brought home C-Y-R-S or Closed-loop Young Robot System or Cyrus. It mimicks Shawn’s movements. “Cyrus blinked slowly and then said,’ I am here to integrate with the Cole family. Dr. Cole, her husband Mr. Nathaniel Cole, and their son Shawn Cole will demonstrate how to have realistic human interactions and relationships. I will study human emotions and try to replicate feelings. I will even learn to accept the family canine, basset hound, Scooter, as a close companion.’  “(14) Oh, and Cyrus looks just like Shawn (not the robot on the book’s cover). This fact kept reminding me of the Will Smith movie, i Robot.

Shawn is expected to share his bedroom with Cyrus. Shawn sleeps through his math quiz at school the next day because Cyrus kept waking Shawn up all night. First, Cyrus began to overheat, then Cyrus could not connect to the Wi-Fi at home, Cyrus needed a password and a login, this was followed by Cyrus’ playing with Scooter, like Cyrus was a dog, and finally Cyrus was bouncing Shawn’s LA Laker’s autographed basketball on Shawn’s bed.  Mr. Velazquez, Shawn’s math/science teacher and school basketball coach, wakes Shawn up after the rest of the class has gone to their next class. Poor Shawn, Mr. Velazquez informs him he will have to cut Shawn from the basketball team due to grades, unless Shawn completes all of his make-up work by tomorrow. At home, Cyrus is playing the latest unreleased video game, which he was able to download. Shawn tricks Cyrus into doing his make-up work by saying, ‘  ‘ How about you work on that while I play for a bit. Then we’ll switch?’  ”  ( (24)[ NOT sure what happened next because my copy of the book was missing the end of this chapter and the beginning of the next chapter, four pages total. When my copy of the book continues] Cyrus is getting ready for his first day of school with his brother Shawn. All the of the students love Cyrus. Shawn turns in his make-up work. By the end of the day, Mr. Velazquez figures out that Cyrus actually did the make-up work and won’t let Shawn back on the basketball team. Mr. Velazquez will be telling the principal about the cheating, too. Even though Shawn has been “mean, rude, abrasive, jealous” of Cyrus, Cyrus wants to help Shawn get back on the team, because  ” ‘ Like I said, if the research says brothers help each other out, then that’s what I need to do to learn to be your brother. I think it might be fun.’  “(40)

Cyrus does not enjoy being surrounded by so many people vying for his attention all of the time. People who all wanted something from him for themselves.

Cyrus’ plan didn’t fool the coach and Shawn is still off of the team, but they come to an understanding. Cyrus volunteers to help Shawn with his math, help not do it for him.