BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSMaya Robinson is a curious, science-obsessed fifth grader living in Chicago who starts the school year in the worst way possible: her two best friends end up in a different class, her new teacher keeps calling her by the wrong name, and a classmate named Zoe seems to enjoy making her miserable. Lonely and struggling to fit in, Maya gets a surprising lifeline when she discovers a dormant, bucket-headed robot named Ralph hidden in the storage closet of Mr. Mac's corner store. Ralph was built by Mr. Mac's son Christopher, a Stanford robotics student, and now Maya has both the robot and Christopher's notebook full of design notes. To get Ralph running she will need to track down a rare experimental battery, decode Christopher's engineering plans, and figure out how to teach a robot everything from household chores to high fives.
Free Battle of the Books questions for Maya and the Robot
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about Maya and the Robot. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a girl dream about climbing a mountain made of pancakes?
✓ Answer
Maya and the Robot by Eve L. Ewing
On the first day of school, Maya dreams she is climbing a mountain made of warm, golden pancakes, catching maple syrup on her tongue, before her mom wakes her up yelling.
- First half
In what book does a ninety-five-year-old man get wheeled onto his porch each evening to watch the street?
✓ Answer
Maya and the Robot by Eve L. Ewing
Maya's neighbor Miss Gina wheels her ninety-five-year-old father out onto the porch every evening because it makes him feel happy and calm. He sometimes sings old songs he remembers from his twenty years as president of the men's choir at First Baptist.
- First half
In what book does a teacher pour cabbage juice into beakers to make liquids change color like magic?
✓ Answer
Maya and the Robot by Eve L. Ewing
At the science fair information session, Ms. Montgomery does a demonstration where she pours dark purple cabbage juice into different beakers, making it flash bright pink or green. Maya knows the science behind it from visiting the museum.
- Second half
In what book does a large, freckle-faced boy with slipping glasses introduce himself using a library card?
✓ Answer
Maya and the Robot by Eve L. Ewing
Elijah introduces himself to Maya on the playground by flipping to the library checkout card inside a volcano book and pointing to his name, written just above hers. He is a new student who moved from Indiana.
- Second half
In what book does a man with a bus map ask for directions in Spanish at a corner store?
✓ Answer
Maya and the Robot by Eve L. Ewing
A man comes into Mr. Mac's store looking for the number seventy bus and asking in Spanish. Mr. Mac cannot help because he doesn't speak Spanish, and the man leaves disappointed. This moment inspires Maya to teach Ralph to translate.
- Near the end
In what book does a science fair project connect a model volcano to a heart rate monitor?
✓ Answer
Maya and the Robot by Eve L. Ewing
Maya builds a project called "Don't Let Your Feelings Erupt" that asks people hard math questions while wearing a heart rate monitor. If they get stressed, the volcano overflows with oatmeal-and-food-coloring lava.
