The Grid

About this page

On page 56, the floor beneath Subby has turned into a giant grid, and suddenly the whole space can be described one square at a time. Grids are how researchers make sure they search everywhere without missing a spot or counting the same spot twice. It is the difference between wandering and mapping. Kids meet this idea in treasure maps, checkerboards, and sidewalk squares, so it feels instantly familiar. And because Subby the Robot is the Squad's friendly tech helper, this page also hints that computers love grids too, since they think in tidy rows and columns.

Talk about it while you color

• If you dropped a toy somewhere on this grid, how could Subby find it square by square?
• What places in your home have squares or grids hiding in them?
• Which square would you stand on if you were exploring with Subby?