Chop Chop – The Story of a Busy Robot
It’s late on earth. But all temporary workers are still busy delivering parcels, chopping trees, and cutting hair. Standing at the assembly line in the chicken factory. Looking after children. Clearing mines. All rushed by a boss with the common phrase: “Hurry up, chop chop!”
“Chop Chop, that’s me”, thinks the little robot.
Chop Chop is programmed to do everything. The pace speeds up – Chop Chop delivers. Chop Chop always does his best. But it’s never enough.
Chop Chop. The Story of a Busy Robot is Linda Bondestam’s fourth solo picture book. Here, a dose of civilisation critique is combined with humour and melancholy. What happens to the world when the wheels roll at turbo speed?
Published in Finnish by Teos.
info
Year of publication
2024
Original title
Chop chop – En tapper jordbos berättelse
Page count
88
Original publisher
Förlaget M
Original language of publication
Swedish
Reviews
HBL
"Chop Chop is a masterpiece of our most popular picture book author, a picture book creator of original and unique picture-text stories, with an instantly recognizable style."
Swedish Yle
"The book is at its best when it's funny - for example when Chop Chop cleans the office and sings "I'm most comfortable in open office environments, I want to live here at work".
Katrina Åkerholm, Vasabladet
"With her new picture book ‘Chop chop’, Linda Bondestam consolidates her position as one of the Nordic region's most innovative and bold picture book artists."
August Prize Jury
“Linda Bondestam pushes the boundaries of the picture book format, both in terms of scope and theme, with this dystopian robot epic. Armed with equal parts humour and subtle social criticism, she draws a near future in which the existence of both humans and robots is questioned. No one needs to fear that Bondestam herself would be replaceable, this master epic shows that she can deliver. Chop chop!”
Finlandia Prize Jury 2024
“In this exceptional picture book, a tireless little robot meets the pests of the modern world from abusing the workforce to arms race and nuclear war. Quirky and insightful illustrations and the viewpoint of the innocent robot’s journey depict human life with astonishing sharpness. Despite the heavy themes, the book is ultimately full of hope and even a catastrophe will sprout a new and perfect life.”
Awards & Nominations
Nominations
August Prize
2024
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