Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: Feb 2nd 2017
ISBN-13: 978-1407138558
Age: 8+
Imagine receiving a 3D printer that can print anything you want....this is what happens to 11 year old Olly when he orders a rabbit hutch on an auction site and 'Russell' is delivered instead, marked PROPERTY OF M.O.D and BRITISH SPACE AGENCY. And so, Olly, like any child who receives a big scary product that he shouldn't use, uses the top secret printer to do extremely important eleven year old type things. You know, like creating endless sweets and an indoor swimming pool! Encouraged by his younger brother, Stevie, and his older sister, Bird, an aspiring scientist, Olly takes us on a whirlwind adventure, particularly with the invention of Dad-bot, a robot that looks just like their father, who left them two months ago. However, with drones and robots on the loose, trouble soon follows and Olly and his siblings find themselves realising that the freedom to make whatever you want isn't all it is cracked up to be
One of the things I struggled to connect with was the game that is adored by almost all of the characters, MAZZO, because I am not a big online gamer. However, we are living in the age of Minecraft, Fortnite and Roblox, so for children reading this, it is a fantastic plot device. We see the children use the game to cope with the separation of their parents, particularly Stevie, who is addicted and while the humour of the novel is non-stop, from mum's big pant business to the creation of Dad-bot (warning: willies are mentioned but in a age appropriate and hilarious manner), it is often laced with sadness from the children and their mum about dad leaving the family home.
Kennan seamlessly connects reality with a far-fetched story line and the relationship between the three main characters is so relatable, from Bird's bossy nature to the scuffles between Olly and Stevie.
My favourite character was definitely Bird. In an age when we are trying to get young girls geared up to love science and engineering, Bird is exactly the type of character to do so, with her wacky inventions and experiments. She is seriously smart and a force to be reckoned with!
The Everything Machine is a story that will keep kids laughing and dreaming about what they would make with their own 3D printer, whilst highlighting the importance of family and looking out for one another. Kennan's novel is so relevant to today's kids and she hits the mark about the growing dependance on technology and online gaming without being overbearing or lecturing. A perfect addition to any KS2 bookshelf!
