Wednesdays with David: Transformers

Transformers: The Movie Storybook

Adapted by Kate Egan

Illustrated by Marcelo Matere

Harper Entertainment 2007

From the library

The story: Someone figured out that boys (and their daddies) love a good story/movie about cars and machines that turn into robots from outer space. They also figured out that they could make a movie, then make a book from that movie, and make money from both. Does anyone really need a story description?

Mama opines: Sigh. We are getting to the point where David is loving boy things like Transformer and Star Wars. As a Star Wars fan myself, I am excited about that. But there is a part of me that is a little apprehensive that he is so into franchises and I'm not thrilled with all of the violence. I'm also sad that these days, he is much more likely to pick up a book based on a tv show or movie than a Caldecott Award Winner.

I know that it is just good that he is reading and that it is important that he picks things that interest him. He recently read the longest book he's read so far on his own. I'm not going to downplay that because it's about cars that turn into robots instead of The Wind in the Willows. Our library trips will just consist of him handing me Transformers books while I sneak some more varied selections into the pile.

Thoughts from David: Well, I liked the movie storybook because it had the Autobots and the Decepticons. And, well, I kinda liked it because Sam, one of the Autobots' friends, went to buy a car and he didn't know about the Autobots yet. But he had picked one of the Autobot cars. His name was Bumblebee. And, of course, I would have never forgotten about when he meets the other Autobots like Ratchet and Jazz and Ironhide and Optimus Prime. And of course Bumblebee was Sam's personal bodyguard.

Favorite part: It's when the fight battle is on. And it's when Sam uses the allspark and aims for his spark.

Happy Reading!