2016 was the same year my book Little Bot and Sparrow was published, so I devoted the whole month to tell a rousing adventure story about what happened to Little Bot and Sparrow before and after the events of the book.
1: fast
Before he ever met Sparrow, before he lived in the woods, and before he fell from the sky, Little Bot worked day and night on a skyship.
Sometimes he'd get startled by the screaming engine of a passing hornet-skiff and wondered how anything could move so fast.
2: noisy
Every day Little Bot had to go down into the engine room of the massive airship to flush the fuel cores. He hated this job.
He could handle the acrid smell, but the entire space was just too noisy.
3: collect
When the airship would dock, Little Bot was assigned to round up all the used power cylinders and deliver them to the charging station.
4: hungry
"More bread!" the captain growled. Little Bot had brought bread to the dinner table five times already. He guessed that piloting an airship can really make someone hungry.
5: sad
Every night when all the work was done, Little Bot would climb to the toppest part of the airship and think about his life. He wished there was more to it than chores and to-do lists.
6: hidden
Hidden away in a forgotten corner of the airship, Little Bot made a spot all his own. The robot had never left the ship. Though he had been all over the world he had never really seen it. In this hidden corner Little Bot could imagine places never visited, and things never seen.
7: lost
The old map said there would be a forest here. Little Bot couldn't tell if the map was right or if he was just lost. He was beginning to wonder if going after Sparrow was a bad idea.
8: rock
The days were getting long. The sun beat down on Little Bot's metal frame. He found shelter under a rock and waited for nightfall.
9: broken
Little Bot had no idea how long this weathered old broken aircraft had been here. At least some parts were still salvageable.
10: Jump
It was the only way he could get down off the cliffs. Little Bot wasn't sure the wings would work, he just knew he had to jump.
11: transport
It was the last transport to leave for the southland.
12: worried
Little Bot watched the airship burst through the cloud layer. He'd never seen a ship with a giant skull painted on its side, and it made him a little worried.
13: scared
Little Bot was snatched by the pirate King and was scared about what they would do with him. Would he be consigned to swabbing decks, or worse: dismantled and used for spare parts?!
14: tree
Little Bot escaped the Pirates and found a hollowed tree trunk to hide in. He stayed there for a few days until one of the Royal Security Bots patrolled the territory.
15: relax
Little Bot has been having a rough time this past week, thought he needed a break.
16: wet
Little Bot had spent 2 days lost in the wet smelly sewers. When he finally emerged he found himself in the middle of something worse.
17: battle
As the battle raged between both sides, Little Bot scurried across the field dodging explosions and leaping over trenches. Would he escape this madness?!
18: escape
The engine fired up! Little Bot couldn't believe his luck. He'd escape the battle field and ride this thing until either the gas ran out or the road ended.
19: flight
Little Bot rode into the night to the rendezvous point at the old ruins. His flight showed up right at midnight.
20: squeeze
Little Bot squeezed the handle with all his might to not fall to the rocks below. He hoped the flight wouldn't be long.
21: big
By day break he had arrived at Crandell's Rock. He had heard pilots tell tales of the massive rock formations that pierced the sky. When he finally saw them, Little Bot couldn't believe how big they actually were.
22: little
Even the trees at Crandell's Rock were huge. Standing next to one Little Bot felt, well, little.
23: slow
At night, Little Bot dreamed that he was being slowly pulled apart the closer he got to the sparrow.
24: one dozen
Little Bot was awakened from his dream by a stampede of tiny robots. There must have been a dozen of them!
25: tired
Little Bot followed the parade of animal robots to a secret back room where he found a tired looking old man working on machines.
26: box
The Old Man took one look at Little Bot and without pausing pulled a box off the shelf and handed it to him.
"I've been waiting for a long time to give this to you."
27: creepy
Little Bot approached the cave cautiously. There was something creepy about it, but it was the only way to the other side.
28: burn
Little Bot followed the lights deep into the cave.
29: surprise
Something startled the beast. Little Bot was surprised at how fast she could run.
30: wreck
They said anyone could fly this thing. They said it was "wreck-proof."
