Some times the movie is better than the book. This is one of those times. ( )

The young boy-narrator of this fantastical picture-book adventure details his day at the home of his best friend, Wilbur Robinson. An eccentric family with many astonishing hobbies, not to mention some unusual servants (ranging from an octopus to a robot), the Robinsons and their home provide a day of unusual experiences to the boy. As they hunt for Grandfather Robinson's fake teeth, not to mention Grandfather Robinson himself, the boy and his friend meet various members of the clan, each of whom is engaged in an amazing and somewhat peculiar activity. There's never a dull moment, when spending the day with Wilbur Robinson!

Apparently made into an animated film by Disney - it was titled "Meet the Robinsons" in movie form - A Day With Wilbur Robinson is an entertaining picture-book romp. I enjoyed many of the little details here - the octopus doorman, the fact that Grandfather Robinson is collaborating with Ellington and Armstrong while working with his dancing-frog band - and found the artwork, created in oil and acrylic, just lovely. That said, I did have the feeling, as I read along, that there was too much being thrown together, too many madcap elements - things astonishing! amazing! unusual! - for it all to fit together in one organic whole. There were so many things - the dinosaurs who hang out at the pool, for instance, having come through the Time Door - that would have made more of an impact, if they had been more fully explored. Somehow, this one felt almost like a tour of story ideas, rather than a story in its own right. Maybe that was the intention? A day spent at a location full of magical things, each one only glimpsed briefly? Whatever the case may be, the overall effect for me was somewhat jumbled. Tastes vary, of course, so others might not have the same impression, and the illustrations (as mentioned) are very appealing. Recommended to William Joyce fans, or to those looking for picture-book fantasy fiction. ( )

William Joyce, yet again, brings his audience into a different world. The main character mentions that "it's a dull day" while to the readers, it doesn't seem like a dull day at all. This is an entertaining story about the simple tasks that the two boys are doing on this "dull" day. The world in this book is almost futuristic, yet their attire seem outdated. I think this is a book that would be appealing to children because William Joyce always adds extra things to look at and images that bring more to the story than just the words. ( )

There were a few classes that I took as a Library Sciences major that really stuck with me. One was Reader's Advisory (how to help someone choose a book...sound familiar?) and the other was Children's Literature. As you already know, I absolutely love children's literature. However, I was led to believe that as an adult my enjoyment of picture books was over. WRONG! Some of the best picture books are the best because they appeal to all ages. I'm giving all of this backstory because today's review is of a picture book entitled A Day With Wilbur Robinson by William Joyce. When I discovered that one of my favorite animated movies (yes, those are for all ages as well), Meet the Robinsons, was actually adapted from a book...well I went and picked it up at the library, didn't I? The story is all about one magical day at the homestead of the Robinson family while they search for Grandfather's false teeth. Each member of the brood is more fantastical than the last and yet Wilbur claims that it's "dull". However, it's the artwork that brings it all together. Joyce's style evokes a 1950's vibe that is playful and still somewhat realistic. (I definitely believed the octopus butler real.) He considers his works to be "alarmingly optimistic" and I'd have to agree. (Remember the film Robots? He produced and designed it.) It's a fun read that I think anyone of any age would enjoy. 10/10 ( )

It was nice to read the story that Meet the Robinsons was born from. I love that movie and it's interesting to see where all the thinking for the story must have come from. The cast and plot aren't the same, but there are plenty of parallels between the two. It was a fun story in general. ( )