Common Sense Media Review
By Sage Moreaux
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Robot befriends children in hopeful story of survival.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In OASIS two siblings, JieJie and DiDi, live together in a barren desert landscape. They spend their days braving sandstorms, refilling their water container, and waiting for calls from their mom, who works in nearby Oasis City. As their mother struggles to gain admission to the city for her children, the two kids are left to their own devices. One day they come across a broken AI-powered robot. They decide to take it home, unaware of how this simple act will completely change their lives.
Is It Any Good?
Poignant and thought-provoking, this story is a beautifully rendered exploration of family. The art and story of Oasis, by author and illustrator Guojing, is both powerfully simple and emotionally deep. The storyline feels especially relevant with artificial intelligence on the rise, and peoples' relationships to machines in constant flux.
There's much to consider in this seemingly simple story, and this graphic novel is a good vehicle for discussions about the nature of family, and how connected we are to electronic devices. While the story is complex in some ways, in others it's achingly simple, making it approachable for a wide variety of audiences, young and old alike.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the minimal use of text in Oasis. How did the illustrations influence your understanding of the story and the emotions of the characters? Were there any specific images that stood out to you? Why?
What messages and themes do you think the author wanted to communicate? How did the artwork reinforce these ideas?
The AI robot exhibits empathy and love. Do you think that robots could eventually have the same capacity for emotion that humans do? What do you think the author intended by writing a story about a robot mom?
When the kids' mom meets the AI robot, she is horrified and afraid. What do you think about the mom's initial reaction and her later change of heart? What do you think the author was trying to get across in the way the two moms relate?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Guojing
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , Robots
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Empathy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Godwin Books
- Publication date : February 18, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 160
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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