# Help me identify this juvenile(?) sf(?) novel(?) from a single line of dialogue?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-juvenile-sf-novel-from-a-single-line-of-dialogue/178682>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 31, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-juvenile-sf-novel-from-a-single-line-of-dialogue/178682 "2003-05-31T01:19:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-juvenile-sf-novel-from-a-single-line-of-dialogue/178682/1 "2003-05-31T01:19:10Z")

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Hunger does strange things to people. Knowing that a huge wave of Korean food was going to be heading my way today, delivered straight to my maw via informal potluck lunch, I decided to offset potential excess weight gain by eating birdseed for breakfast (read: “Kashi”).

By mid-morning I was so hungry I swear my stomach juices were travelling upward to dissolve my brain, because my principal thoughts were running mainly along the lines “Korean food _now_!” and “Dur” and “_Whine!_ My blood kal-bi levels are dangerously low!” and…

**"Please insert nutrients in slot marked X."**

It sounded kind of odd at the time. Then I vaguely remembered having read it somewhere when I was a kid. I’m usually pretty good about memorizing titles I enjoy, but for the life of me I have no idea where this came from. Googling turns up nothing. I _think_ the part in the book the line comes from involves some kind of alien that is supposed to be preparing for something (possibly its own transformation) or is pondering some big question for the main characters. In the meanwhile, it has taken the form of a box and left the instructions “Please insert nutrients in slot marked X” in raised letters on its own skin/surface.

For some reason, being reminded of the line also made me think of Yolen’s _Robot and Rebecca_ series and Key’s _Sprockets and Rivets_, but I’m pretty sure it’s not from those.

Anybody know? I just hope it’s not something embarrassing.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-juvenile-sf-novel-from-a-single-line-of-dialogue/178682/2 "2003-05-31T04:01:57Z")

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Just remembered some more stuff: the alien is somewhat sluglike in appearance. It reminds the characters a couple of times to please insert food.

I have the sinking feeling this may be from a comic book.