Maya Robinson is the protagonist and narrator of the novel. She is a fifth-grade girl living in Chicago with her mom and younger brother, Amir. She is endlessly curious, loves to read and learn, and is a persistent, independent, problem solver, which explains why she loves and excels at science. She is also kind, thoughtful, and considerate and thinks a lot about helping others. In addition to this, Maya is introverted and lacks self-confidence, which makes it difficult for her to recognize why others could be drawn to her. These latter characteristics are exacerbated by the uncertainty of school life after her best friends, Jada and MJ, are placed in a different class than her for the first time.

Through her experience of being separated from her friends at school, the novel explores the challenges that arise with childhood friendships, particularly for children who are introverted or lacking self-confidence. To distract herself from her feelings of isolation and loneliness, she throws all her energy into repairing Ralph, a robot designed by Mr. Mac’s deceased son, Christopher. This process brings her closer to both Mr. Mac and, through his notebook, Christopher. As she learns more and more about robotics and engineering, Maya’s confidence grows, and she realizes the importance of simply being herself.