Riko the Robot (and the Words He Didn't Know)

What happens when a robot is missing just one function: the ability to feel?

Riko is a brand-new robot, built with a fast processor and flawless memory, except his emotion function comes back with an error. When he meets a girl named Elsie during a factory tour, he discovers laughter for the first time through a silly guessing game. Once he joins her class at school, Riko slowly learns to recognize and name his feelings, one at a time, through the everyday ups and downs of classroom life: a tower that collapses, a poem that gets laughed at, a project ruined by accident, a scary moment lost in the woods. Through Riko's journey, kids learn that every one of these feelings, even the uncomfortable ones, is normal and worth talking about.

Riko the Robot doesn't stop at the end of the story. It includes reflection questions organized by emotion for kids to answer or draw, along with a dedicated guide for parents on how to use the book to start real conversations about feelings, pause after each chapter, and respond in ways that help kids feel heard rather than fixed. It's a warm, character-led introduction to emotional vocabulary for readers ages 6 to 9, built for reading together and returning to again and again.

• Nine Real Emotions, One at a Time: Riko learns to name joy, surprise, disappointment, pride, embarrassment, anger, fear, courage, sadness, and friendship through relatable scenarios.
• A Robot's-Eye View of Feelings: Riko's own system readouts double as kid-friendly definitions, like "Joy: when someone invites you in," giving abstract feelings concrete, memorable language.
• Reflection Questions for Kids: Organized by emotion, these prompts invite kids to write, draw, or talk through their own experiences alongside Riko's.
• A Real Guide for Parents: Includes practical tips for shared reading, from pausing after each chapter to responding without immediately trying to fix the feeling.
• Perfect for Ages 6 to 9: A warm, character-led introduction to emotional vocabulary, built for repeat reading and real conversations at home or in the classroom.

For more than 75 years, Albatros Media has been crafting original and innovative children’s books that are both playful and educational, fostering curiosity and a love of learning in young minds. From novelty and board books to picture books and seasonal titles, Albatros Media creates high-quality books designed to delight, comfort, and inspire.