Whirby

By Author / Illustrator

Molly Harris, Jacob Souva

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

HarperCollins

ISBN

9780063385474

Format

Hardback

Published

26-03-2026

Synopsis

If you (and your children!) struggle with setting a nighttime routine, staying up for countless hours, and regretting it the day after-this picture book is for you!

Whirby the robot is all systems go for his favorite school activity: bot battles! All that clinking, clanging, beeping, and banging makes Whirby so excited. So excited that he forgets to recharge at night. He stays up practicing his best moves and building the coolest contraptions before the big battle.

But when it's finally his turn to compete...BWOMP! BZZZ! ZZT! With his battery on 0%, will Whirby find a way to still be the bot battle champion? Find out in this funny new offering from The Big Squeeze author, Molly Harris, and the illustrator of Big Bike, Little Bike, Jacob Souva!

You'll love Whirby if you need a reminder to rest and recharge and enjoyed Robobaby, Clink, Boy + Bot, Love Z and Lou. Perfect for fans of stories that are pure fun and impart important life lessons, and for children who love robots, robotics, robot battles, and anything robo-related!

Reviews

Sue

Whirby loves going to school and is very excited about his favourite lesson, gadgeteering, where students compete in bot battles. Whirby becomes so excited that he forgets to recharge at night and stays up, practising his moves. However, when his turn finally comes, Whirby starts to malfunction and misses his chance to compete. Devastated, he realises that he needs to code a new bedtime sequence to follow every evening to make sure he is ready for action.

Full of engaging illustrations, Whirby is a delightful story, perfect for reminding everyone of the importance of recharging! In his enthusiasm and excitement, Whirby does not follow his usual bedtime routine, which means that he does not feel 100% the following day. Without being the slightest bit 'preachy' or patronising, the story is perfect for discussing the importance of a night time routine and getting plenty of rest. Although he was defeated and missed his chance taking part in his favourite lesson, Whirby is determined to solve the issue for himself and makes positive changes which lead to his future success.

The illustrations are just delightful! There are so many details to notice and Whirby's face is so expressive, clearly showing the whole range of his emotions through the story. Sure to become a bedtime favourite at home, this story would also be excellent for sharing in school to develop understanding of the importance of routines and taking time to rest and recharge.

Picture book / Sue Wilsher, teacher