Wr. Kirsty ApplebaumPub. Nosy Crow (2020)
Age Range - 9-12 years
Imagine having the perfect friend, one who never steals, lies or bullies. Now you can, with the TrooFriend 560, the latest in artificial intelligence! What can go wrong with a robot buddy? Especially one that's developing human characteristics and feelings, and who has just run away with her human?
Troofriend is a remarkable piece of science-fiction. It deals with the speculative futuristic concept of Artificial Intelligence, but at its heart is a story about friendship and acceptance. It raises compelling ethical questions about imbuing an android with the capacity to experience human emotions and, being written from the andoid's POV, this resonated most strongly in the confusion Ivy feels. The scenes in which Ivy wants to be more human and in which she seeks belongings of her own literally brought tears to my eyes. In spite of the serious story being told here, there are genuine laughs to be had as Ivy tries to assimilate the human world. The characters of Ivy and Sarah are utterly convincing, and the development of their relationship is so sensitively written. It is beautiful, plain and simple.