  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 07/01/2017 Gr 4–6—In a near-future, robot-filled Chicago, things are tough for Vick and Tara, twins who are Brumbies, or homeless kids. Like others of their kind, they scavenge the city dump in search of scrap to sell or that Tara, who has autism, uses to make robots that are better than anyone else's. Her talent gets them in trouble, though, when she creates a creature that ruthless forces will stop at nothing to capture. The twins must team up with a band of other techie Brumbies to outwit Ms. Alba and her henchmen, some of them fearsome robots, and find the safety they've craved since becoming orphans. Middle graders will enjoy the robot elements as well as the fast-paced action as the twins evade violence and mete out some of their own. McIntosh, author of adult speculative fiction and short stories, crafts a credible world with relatable characters. VERDICT This compelling drama with cool tech themes and bad guys getting their comeuppance is a winner; hand to fans of Michael Buckley's "NERDS" and Stuart Gibbs's "Spy School" series.—Henrietta Verma, National Information Standards Organization, Baltimore - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 10/01/2017 Twins Vick and Tara have been left to fend for themselves in this near-future tale, surviving by salvaging parts from a local dump. Their way of life, however, is threatened when the mysterious Ms. Alba, who clearly has ulterior motives, seizes control of the dump. When the twins get in a kerfuffle with her goons, and their tiny robotic dog, Daisy, nearly destroys one of Alba’s high-tech Watchdogs in the process, Alba takes notice, since Daisy is clearly something special: Tara upgraded Daisy with a salvaged piece of technology, so she is more sentient than the other run-of-the-mill, hunt-and-destroy Watchdogs. With the help of some other street urchins, Vick and Tara show the members of their community that they can—and should—stand up and fight back. Tara is an engrossing character who has a knack for technology, but she also suffers from stress-induced panic attacks as a side effect of her autism. This fast-paced sci-fi adventure with an unsettling dystopian atmosphere should find easy appeal among a wide range of readers. - Copyright 2017 Booklist. Loading...
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