- Chapter Books
- Ages 8–12
- Science Fiction
SCRAP
A funny, energetic sci-fi adventure about a scrappy robot hero, ideal for readers who like Stitch Head-style oddball characters and accessible chapter-book action. It has adventure stakes, but the tone stays comic and friendly.
- Best for8–12
- FormatChapter
- Length320 pp
- Read aloud~4 hr30 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Adventurous
- Exciting
- Heartwarming
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
SCRAP is a robot made from bits, pieces, rust, and leftover parts, but there is far more to him than anyone expects. In a world of machines, junk, and danger, he has to work out who he is, what he is capable of, and whether a thrown-together creation can still become a proper hero. Guy Bass brings the same comic energy that made Stitch Head popular, mixing jokes, action, oddball inventions, and emotional underdog appeal. Alessia Trunfio's illustrations help give the story visual bounce and make the futuristic setting feel approachable for younger readers. SCRAP is a strong choice for children moving from heavily illustrated funny fiction toward slightly longer adventure novels, especially if they like robots, scrapyards, and unlikely heroes.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 8–12
- Read aloud · 7–11
- Independent · 8–12
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
Moderate
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Robot story
- Funny sci fi
- Underdog hero
- Stitch head gateway
- Illustrated adventure
Avoid if
- Wants realistic school story
- Prefers soft bedtime
- Needs picture heavy format
Particularly good for children who are…
- Low self esteem
- Reluctant reader
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A funny, heartfelt robot-adventure series — a great reluctant-reader pick about friendship and belonging.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific weight is finding out he was built as a weapon — SCRAP a small junkyard robot made from leftover parts, discovering his original purpose, deciding not to be that. The Guy Bass for a Stitch Head fan ready for slightly longer chapter-book sci-fi action.
- Proving yourself
- Being understood finally
- Secret skill
- Adventure and freedom
- The underdog winning
Why parents love it
The Guy Bass middle-grade — same comic energy as Stitch Head, oddball-character appeal, Alessia Trunfio's illustrations giving the futuristic setting visual bounce. Excellent reluctant-reader bridge from illustrated funny fiction into longer adventure.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
- Conversation starter
About the creators
About the creators.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
When you buy through the links above, we may earn a small commission — it never costs you more, and it never changes the books we choose. How we’re funded →