MAYA AND THE MISSING ROBOT3
A Big Idea
Maya had a big idea.
Today, she and her robot Zip were going to build a moon buggy!
Their buggy would roll over pretend moon rocks and explore faraway planets.
Zip was ready. His bright blue eyes flashed, and his two little wheels spun with joy.
“Let’s get building!” Maya cheered.
But there was one problem.
Toy cars, trucks, and blocks covered the playroom floor.
Maya put her hands on her hips.
“First, we need to clean up this mess!”
Zip gave a happy beep.
“I can help!”
MAYA AND THE MISSING ROBOT5
The Instructions
Maya pointed toward the big blue closet.
“Zip, put everything with wheels in the closet, please.”
Zip blinked his bright blue eyes.
“Everything with wheels. Got it!”
Maya smiled.
“Thanks, Zip! I’ll be right back.”
She ran to get a cardboard box and some shiny star stickers for their moon buggy.
Zip looked around the playroom.
He picked up a red toy truck.
Then a yellow car.
Then a little green wagon.
His wheels hummed as he worked.
“Beep! Beep! Cleaning time!”
MAYA AND THE MISSING ROBOT7
Where Did Zip Go?
When Maya came back, the playroom looked amazing.
The cars were gone.
The trucks were gone.
Even the little wagon was gone.
“Wow! Great job, Zip!”
But nobody answered.
Maya looked around.
“Zip?”
She checked behind the couch.
No Zip.
She peeked under the table.
No Zip.
She even looked inside her big toy box.
Still no Zip!
Maya scratched her head.
“Where could he be?”
Then she noticed something strange on the rug.
Two little tracks!
MAYA AND THE MISSING ROBOT9
The Mystery Gets Bigger
Maya leaned down to look at the tracks.
“They look like Zip’s wheel marks!” she said.
The tracks went around the table.
Past the bookshelf.
And straight toward the big blue closet.
Maya followed them carefully.
Then she heard something.
Beep ... beep ...
Maya stopped.
“Zip? Is that you?”
No answer.
She pressed her ear against the closet door.
Something moved inside.
BUMP!
Maya jumped back.
“Oh, no! Is Zip stuck in there?”
She reached for the handle.
MAYA AND THE MISSING ROBOT11
Behind the Blue Door
Maya slowly pulled open the closet door.
CREAK!
A red toy truck rolled out.
Then a yellow car.
Then the little green wagon!
“Whoa!” Maya cried.
“Zip really cleaned up!”
She looked deeper into the closet.
There were cars on the shelves.
Trucks on the floor.
And something round hiding behind a big toy box.
Suddenly, two bright blue eyes lit up.
BEEP!
“Hello, Maya!”
Maya nearly dropped her star stickers.
“ZIP?”
“What are you doing in there?”
MAYA AND THE MISSING ROBOT13
The Big Surprise!
“Zip! Why did you hide in the closet?” Maya asked.
“I wasn’t hiding,” said Zip.
“You told me to put everything with wheels in here!”
Maya looked at the toy cars.
Then at the trucks.
Then she looked down at Zip.
His two little wheels were still spinning.
Maya’s eyes grew wide.
“OH! YOU HAVE WHEELS, TOO!”
“Yes!” Zip beeped. “Two of them!”
Maya burst out laughing.
“Oh, Zip! I meant the TOYS, not YOU!”
Then Maya gave Zip new instructions.
“Next time, put only the toy cars and trucks away. Then come back to me.”
“Got it!” said Zip.
He rolled out of the closet.
“Now,” Maya said with a grin, “let’s build our moon buggy!”
