They want Klara to 'learn' to be Josie so they can someday transport Klara's consciousness into robot Josie, in case Josie dies. Meanwhile, Klara learns that Josie's parents ( Chrissy and Paul) are planning a 'portrait' of Josie that is really a robot version of Josie. Klara completes her quest, but she soon sees the machine has been replaced by a new one. Klara believes the Sun dislikes Pollution (because it blocks out the sun) and offers to destroy a machine she has seen emit a lot of pollution (a construction vehicle) in exchange. In Part Three and Part Four, Klara believes the Sun can heal Josie's illness, and she asks the Sun to heal Josie.

We also learn that Josie had an older sister, Sal, who was also sick and eventually died. Rick is less well off and is not 'lifted' (which means he wasn't genetically modified as a child), and the 'lifted' kids see him as inferior. Klara moves in with Josie and her mother and meets Josie's best friend, Rick. She bonds with a sweet but sick girl named Josie, who eventually comes back to purchase her. In Part One and Part Two of Klara and the Sun, Klara is introduced as a solar-powered AF ('artificial friend'), which is a companion robot for children, being sold at an AF store. It's soon discovered that Josie's parents have a secret plan to possibly replace Josie with Klara (if she dies), but Josie gets better instead. Klara goes on a quest to try to ask the Sun to heal Josie. The three-sentence version of this: In the not-too-distant future, Klara is a solar-powered companion robot who is purchased by a sick girl, Josie.

Klara and the sun a novel