I found Maya and the Robot a little slow in the beginning but it picked up midway through. The mix of past and present tense, in the beginning, was also a little confusing and at times the dialogue seemed older than a 10 yo would use but overall it was a good read and encapsulated some of the challenges of middle school. Great book for STEM teachers to share with their enthusiastic students.

Sometimes you just need a friend, and that is the case with Maya, a fifth grade girl when she realizes that none of her friends will be in her classes this year. She finds a robot hiding in one of her classes and decides that she will put her programming skills to use. She fixes the robot and this opens up a whole new world for her. Maya learns that sometimes when you are struggling, you can use your curiosity and questioning skills to turn things around for you. This is a must read, especially for STEM loving girls.