Code Lightfall and the Robot King by Daniel H. Wilson

Bloomsbury, 2011. ISBN 978 1408814192.
Code Lightfall is the unlikely name of a shy boy whose best friend, his grandfather, is missing presumed dead. During a school excursion to the place where his grandfather was last seen, he falls (like Alice in Wonderland), down a hole to an amazing place of metal and robots. Wilson has created a novel land where grasses, bugs, walls transport - everything is made of metal, but has individual personality. Code adapts to this world quickly learning that everything has recently been programmed to disassemble. With the help of a quirky Slaughterbot he unwittingly created, and Peep, a robot bee like creature who befriends him, Code is drawn to the centre of the robot world with the twin desires of stopping the disassembly and maybe finding news of his grandfather. An unusual, surprising ending with hints of more to come. This very readable, linear style novel will appeal to students in years 4-6.
Sue Whittaker (Primary teacher librarian)