The Wild Robot

I was a little hesitant to read a children's book about a robot stranded on an island to my daughters, but this one has a ton of heart and enough characters and situations to be very entertaining. This robot happens to have human feelings that is more expressed in actions that we all can understand, whether it's deep sadness to being excited and everything in between. Peter Brown somehow makes it all believable and a very touching story of compassion, love and how every parent feels when their child has to leave.

Very cute book and my son was hooked from the beginning. My son is 8 year-old. He read it in bed before going to sleep, he read it as soon as he woke up. The story is nice too. It's about a robot who ended up in an island without humans but with animals. She learns their language and makes friends. She has adventures here and there. My son liked it so much my daughter is now reading it.

I read this book after my daughter (age 11) finished it. I'm an elementary school librarian so I read a lot of children's literature and I'm familiar with Brown's picture books which are popular among my younger students.

Like many of the other reviewers here, I agree that the first 3/4 of the book was strong. Accessible to all age groups, written with depth but simplicity. The reader moves through the wild landscape and grows with Roz and her adopted forest kin. There are powerful messages about potential, family and community.

Then it tanks. Toward the climax-to-end, as an adult reader, I felt that old disappointment: ok, beauty accomplished, here's where we sell the movie rights and start a series. (Why sell one book when you can sell three?)

The action/battle scene was unnecessary. The dip into futuristic dystopia ripped me (and my daughter) right out of the story. It didn't fit.

My daughter on The Wild Robot:
It was a beautiful book and the artwork was great. But in a story like this, the violence at the end doesn't work. Even if Roz had to be taken away, it should have been quietly sad, the way it is in The Little Prince. Or the Moon Princess, when her people come to take her back.

All in all, it is a book I will buy for my school's library because it's a good read. It had potential to be a classic, however, and simply fell short.

This book is amazing. It tells the story of a robot that finds herself stranded alone on an island and how she learns to adapt to the life around her. The chapters are short and many contain beautiful illustrations. I used this book for my first read aloud of the year with my fifth graders and they fell in LOVE with Roz and her animal friends. It is a beautiful story and I am excited to read the next book in the series.

This is a must read for all children. It is the most moving story about tolerance, bullying, acceptance, love, parenting, wildlife - the messages and the storytelling are beautiful. My kids were so riveted that they each took the book to school and asked their teachers to read it to their classes (which they did!). The kids were on the edge of their seats for the entire story. I hope there is a sequel. This is a stunning book for all ages (my kids are 6, 9, & 11).

Let's start with the cover. My students judge covers, and so in buying a book, I have to too. Many of the the books at my students' readings levels have youngish looking covers. This cover is perfect. It's a robot in nature- nothing cheesy at all.

And while the plot is simplistic, the characters are well-developed and love able. Believe me, you will love a robot by the end of this book. This book was well worth the money I paid for it!

A sweet book about a robot that learns to feel, to live, to be wild. The story is an interesting mix of sci-fi and action wrapped up in layers of kindness and the celebration of community. The short chapters served as an interesting structural element and help keep the story going over multiple bedtimes.

Read it aloud to my 4,5,7 year-olds together over about two weeks at bedtime. They LOVED it. Beautifully written and illustrated. Not too scary for the older two; a little much at times for the youngest, but still a great experience for her. They talk about Roz and her friends all the time.

My 7 year old says "I love it because it had a robot in it and it learned to be wild. I liked the ending. There was nothing I didn't like about it."

I say: I was expecting this to be a short light hearted read, but it turned out to be quite a substantial and deep book. It was a page turner to be sure and resulted in some light nights for my kids because I couldn't put it down.

My six year old loves this book. Good story, well told, and the language is often strikingly beautiful. The vocabulary was well suited for reading to a six year old, and the chapter pacing was conducive to breaking it up into multiple sittings.

This book is really nice if you like robots of nature and the illustrations are really good too. although it has 288 pages, the page's fonts aren't really that small so you can complete a page relatively quickly. Peter Brown is really good writer and this book is really good.

This is a terrific book for mid-readers. My Grand daughter, 9, and I read this together taking turns. Great story with lots of imagination and feelings. Loved the relationship of the characters. A clear recommendation from this family!

Roz is switched back on again to find herself the robot for a dairy farm. The farmer has an injured leg so he needs Roz to get all the machines on the farm in good shape, and many need to be brought up and running again. Roz enjoys helping the farmer and his children get the farm running, and the cows are thrilled to learn she can talk to them. Roz quickly becomes a huge hit with the animals for her tales about her and her son who is a goose. Roz is also a hit with the two children for her stories of a robot with a goose son on a wild island. Roz hopes that someday she can tell them the story is true, and maybe they can help her return to her wild island. It is tough for a robot who has feelings and skills she isn't supposed to keep her cover as a normal robot.

Aww, I just love Roz. She's a fantastic robot. And it sounds weird for a robot that isn't really emotive, but she's so loving and caring toward those around her. I was a little worried about her leaving the family after she's become such a part of their lives, but I was quite satisfied with how things worked out. The escape part is just enough excitement and adventure without feeling over the top in the struggles faced along the way. I was also a little bit surprised with the ending twist, but in a happy way. Brown found a great idea for how to wrap things up. A great read that encourages kids to be kind to those around them. And I love that Roz made the most of her time on the farm instead of being grumpy and unhelpful. She worked hard, made friends, and was super helpful while she waited for a good time to be reunited with her son. She does a great job of exemplifying how to make the best out of a less than good situation. When you end up somewhere you'd rather not be, will you be like Roz or will you be a pouty mess no one wants to be around? There's also just enough real farming in here to give urban kids a taste of midwest farm life, including the excitement of a summer tornado and what farmers would do during the winter to prepare for the next growing season. Another great pick if you're looking for a main character who is a good role model, and good for light scifi fans, lower readers ready to try something a bit longer, reluctant middle grade readers, and of course, robot and animal lovers.

Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. A wolves hurt one animal and threaten others. Some lasers are shot, and some bumps and bruises in a chase. Some pigeons are hurt or killed, but nothing gory is shown.

There are far fewer robot middle grade books out there than you might expect. This is probably because, as a general rule, robots fall into the Data from “Star Trek” trap. Their sole purpose in any narrative is to explain what it is to be human. You see this all the time in pop culture, so it stands to reason you’d see it a bit in children’s books too. Never you mind that a cool robot is basically a kid’s dream companion. Take away the kid, put the robot on its own, and you have yourself some philosophy lite. Maybe that’s why I liked Peter Brown’s “The Wild Robot” as much as I did. The heroine of this book is mechanical but she’s not wrestling with the question of what it means to feel emotions or any of that. She's a bit more interested in survival and then, after a bit of time, connection. Folks say this book is like “Hatchet” or “My Side of the Mountain”. Maybe so, but it’s also a pretty good book about shedding civilization and going wild. In short, living many a city kid’s dream.

The first thing she is aware of is that she is bound in a crate by cords. Once those are severed she looks about. Roz is a robot. She appears to be on an island in the sea. Around her are the shattered remains of a good many other robots. How she has gotten here, she doesn’t know, but it doesn’t take long for her to realize that she is in dire need of shelter and allies. Roz is not a robot built for the outdoors, but part of her programming enables her to adapt. Learning the languages of the denizens of the forest, Roz is initially rebuffed (to put it mildly) by the animals living there. After a while, though, she adopts a gosling she accidentally orphaned and together they learn, grow, and come to be invaluable members of the community. And when Roz faces a threat from the outside, it’s her new friends and extended family that will come to her aid.

They say that all good stories can be easily categorized into seven slots. One of the best known is “a stranger comes to town”. Roz is precisely that and her story is familiar in a lot of ways. The stranger arrives and is shunned or actively opposed. Then they win over the local populace and must subsequently defend it against an incoming enemy or be protected by it. But there is another kind of book this conjures up as well. The notion of going from “civilized” to “wild” carries the weight of all kinds of historical appropriations. Smart of Brown then to stick with robots and animals. Roz is a kind of anti-Pinocchio. Instead of trying to figure out how to fit in better with civilization, she spends the bulk of her time trying to figure out how to shed it like a skin. In his career, Brown has wrestled continually with the notion of civilization vs. nature, particularly as it relates to being “wild”. The most obvious example of this, prior to “The Wild Robot”, was his picture book “Mr. Tiger Goes Wild”. Yet somehow it manages to find its way into many of the books he does. Consider the following:

• My Teacher Is a Monster! (No, I Am Not) – A child sees his teacher as a creature best befitting a page in “Where the Wild Things Are” until, by getting to know her, she is humanized in his sight.

• Children Make Terrible Pets – A bear attempts to tame a wild human child with disastrous results.

• The Curious Garden – Nature reclaims abandoned civilization, and is tamed in the process.

• Creepy Carrots – Brown didn’t write this one but it’s not hard to see how the image of nature (in the form of carrots) terrorizing a bunny in his suburban home could hold some appeal.

• Even the Chowder books and his first picture book The Flight of the Dodo had elements of animals wrestling with their own natures.

In this book, Brown presents us with a robot created with the sole purpose of serving in a domestic capacity. Are we seeing only the good side of nature and eschewing the terrible? Brown does clearly have a bias at work here, but this is not a peaceable kingdom where the lamb lays down next to the lion unless necessity dictates that it do so. Though the animals do have a dawn truce, Brown notes at one moment how occasionally one animal or another might go missing, relocating involuntarily to the belly of one of its neighbors. Nasty weather plays a significant role in the plot, beaching Roz at the start, and providing a winter storm of unprecedented cruelty later on. Even so, comparisons of this book to “Hatchet” and “My Side of the Mountain” aren’t far off the mark. Nature is cold and cruel but it’s still better than dull samey samey civilization.

Of course, you read every book through your own personal lens. If you’re an adult reading a children’s book then you’re not only reading a book through your own lens but through the lens you had when you were the intended audience’s age as well. It’s sort of a dual method of book consumption. My inner ten-year-old certainly enjoyed this book, that’s for sure. Thirty-eight-year-old me had a very different reaction. I liked it, sure I did. But I also spent much of this book agog that it was such a good parenting title. Are we absolutely certain Peter Brown doesn’t have some secret children squirreled away somewhere? I mean, if you were to ask me what the theme of this book truly is, I’d have to answer you in all honesty that it’s about how we see the world anew through the eyes of our children. A kid would probably say it’s about how awesome it is to be a robot in the wild. Both are true.

If you’re familiar with a Peter Brown picture book then you might have a sense of his artistic style. His depiction of Roz is very interesting. It was exceedingly nice to see that though the book refers to her in the feminine, it’s not like the pictures depict her as anything but a functional robot, glowing eyes and all. Even covered in flowers she looks more like an extra from Miyazaki’s “Castle in the Sky” than anything else. Her mouth is an expressionless slit but in her movements you can catch a bit of verve and drive. Alas, the illustrations are in black and white and not the lovely color of which we know Brown to be capable. Colored art in middle grade novels is a pricey affair. A publisher needs to really and truly believe in a book to give it color. That said, with this book appearing regularly on the New York Times bestseller list, you’d think they’d have known what they had at the time. Maybe we can get a full-color anniversary edition in a decade or so.

Like most robot books, Brown does cheat a little. It’s hard not to. We are told from the start that Roz is without emotions, but fairly early on this statement is called into question. One might argue quite reasonably that early statements like. “[As you might know], robots don’t really feel emotions. Not the way animals do.” Those italics at the beginning of the sentence (bracketed here) are important. They suggest that this is standard information passed down by those in the know and that they believe you shouldn’t question it. But, of course, the very next sentence does precisely that. “And yet . . .” Then again, those italics aren’t special to that chapter. In fact, all the chapters in this book begin with the first few words italicized. So it could well be that Brown is serious when he says that Roz can’t feel emotions. Can she learn them then? The book’s foggy on that point, possibly purposely so, but in that uncertainty plenty will find Brown’s loving robot a bit more difficult to swallow than others. Books of this sort work on their own internal logic anyway. I know one reader who seriously wondered why the RECO robots had no on/off switches. Others, why she could understand animal speech. You go with as much as you can believe and the writer pulls you in the rest of the way.

I’ve read books for kids where robots are in charge of the future and threaten heroes in tandem with nature. I’ve read books for kids where robots don’t understand why they’re denied the same rights as the humans around them. I even read a book once about a robot who tended a human child, loving her as her parents would have, adapting her to her alien planet’s environment over the years (that one’s “Keeper of the Isis Light” by Monica Hughes and you MUST check it out, if you get a chance). But I have never read a robot book quite as simple and to the point as Peter Brown’s. Nor have I read such comforting bedtime reading in a while. Lucky is the kid that gets tucked in and read this at night. An excellent science fiction / parenting / adventure / survival novel, jam packed with robotic bits and pieces. If this is the beginning of the robot domination, I say bring it on.

For ages 8 and up.

This was my first foray into audiobooks in almost 5 years and I don't think I could have picked a better book to start with. It helps that I love children's books in general but the prose and the story itself did wonders for my attention span. Actually concentrating on someone else reading was not entirely easy for me but this story had my attention from the beginning.

Our main character, Roz, is a robot that is washed up on an island after a storm and activated by a group of otters, who then scatter as Roz comes alive and starts talking. Alone and unsure of her purpose and function on this island, Roz explores and tries to talk to the locals. Soon, thanks to her advanced computers, she can speak the language of the only other inhabitants of the island; the wildlife.

Despite that Roz is a robot, there is some major character growth in this story. Roz takes on the role of mother to an orphaned gosling and helps so many other animals as well. 'She' becomes a friend to so many. Friendship is a huge theme in this story. Roz has always been kind to the wildlife and when the time comes that she needs help, her friends flock to her rescue, just as she did for them.

Overall, this was a simple but fun 'read' with great themes for a young reader. It's simple and engaging and easy to empathize with a robot that ends up on her own in the wild and must learn to survive.

I stumbled across The Wild Robot when I was looking for audiobooks for my kids to listen to in the car. I wanted to find something fun and engaging, because someone speaking seems to hold their attention longer than someone singing.

They absolutely loved this book, and so did I. I was able to relate to Roz throughout the story, and my son would frequently ask very thought-provoking questions.

Roz felt out of place in her new home, but she accepted her surroundings and chose to survive. It was technically what she was programmed to do, but I think she took interest in things other robots would have ignored. She learned how to camouflage herself after an unfortunate encounter, and I believe that's when she started acting a little less robotic.

It took me a few chapters to get into the rhythm of the story, because Roz does a lot of sitting around at the beginning, and she has to learn a lot of basic information we already know. The audiobook also includes a lot of sound effects at the start, which really distracted me from the story. My son enjoyed hearing the waves crashing in the background, and it made the story feel somewhat realistic, but I was glad when it stopped.

When Roz adopted an orphaned gosling, my heart splintered into tiny pieces. She's a robot, so she doesn't technically have feelings or emotions, but she chooses to pretend for the sake of her new baby. She spent a lot of weeks watching the animals to learn their survival skills, and to understand how they communicate with one another. Eventually, Roz is able to have conversations will all of the animals on the island, and I thought those were fascinating perspectives to portray.

I disliked the animal deaths, especially the ones that were her fault (unintentionally), but Roz acknowledges that death is also a part of life. Some animals die so that others can live, and it maintains a balance on the island. It was still hard to listen to, especially when Roz gives an unemotional account of their deaths.

The narrator for this was fantastic! She does so many voices, and I never had trouble discerning who was speaking. Every animal had a unique voice, and I liked how much effort she (combined with the author's writing) put into giving them different personalities and expressions.

The Wild Robot was about acceptance, understanding, and relationships. Brightbill didn't care that his mother was a robot, because he knew she loved him in every way that she could. Roz also cared deeply for her son and worried about his safety, despite a robot's inability to feel. Roz is also willing to help the animals of the island, even after they call her a monster and outright attack her. She never responds with violence or gets angry, but patiently waits for an opportunity to be helpful.

My children really enjoyed listening to this in the car. It gave us something to talk about once we were home, and it made them pay attention and think while we were driving somewhere. The audiobook itself was only around four hours, but it took us a little under a week to get through it. We're not in the car that often, and never for long periods of time. Plus, I had to pause it whenever someone asked a question.

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series! The ending was a little brutal, so I'm curious where the story will go from there. Now I just need a physical copy so we can see the illustrations...

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on October 5, 2018.

Read this with my 6 year old and we both loved it. The story of how Roz learns to adapt to her environment and form a bond with the animals that once feared her was very touching. The only reason I can't give it the full 5 stars is that I felt a little uneasy about all of the gun/rifle use. In an already gun fueled world this is the last thing I wanted to deal with. I'm not sure when the story takes place but judging by how there seems to be robots assisting humans everywhere and automatic flying triangle airplanes I'm guessing the future. So why couldn't some kind of future like weapon be used ..."laser blaster" or "freeze ray gun" I don't know? It seemed a little silly for an advanced high tech robot to be running around the woods with a shotgun. As unsettling as all the gun reference was it was a very clear lesson to my son that guns are powerful and can damage or kill living things in an instant. so excluding the guns, We loved the story.

I did not know what to expect of the next chapter in Roz's life, I'd knew there would be adventure and danger, but I wasn't expecting a THRILLER! Towards the end I had to put it down until the next day, too much excitement, too many possibilities that things would go wrong, too much heartache awaited me if things did go wrong! I kept telling myself, "This is an MG novel, calm down! It must all work out! Right? Right?" I will not tell you if all works out, you will have to find out for yourself. I will share that once again, Roz the Robot, displays qualities many of us humans should emulate, her kindness, genuine interest in others, her resistance to resolve any situation with violence even when it seems hopeless... all excellent lessons, reminders, and models for readers ages 3-110 ! This was an enthralling read, and the element of the narrator speaking to the reader, addressing us directly "Reader, I don't want to..." and calling Roz "Our robot", throughout the book makes readers even more emotionally invested in the story.

The format of this novel reflect its fast pace and also acknowledges at-promise readers by keeping chapters short although plentiful, a recipe for most readers to feel successful as they go on this journey with Roz and Brightbill. There is a variety of characters and events to satisfy the interest of many types of readers and the black and white illustrations add meaning to the story's events.

I highly recommend Peter Brown's The Wild Robot Escapes - Book 2 in The Wild Robot Series (and Book 1 of course!)

I loved this book and thought it was adorable. Not quite as strong as its predecessor, true, but still a strong sequel with illustrations that I’d love to see in color!

You’ll want to read the first book, The Wild Robot, if you haven’t already, as this is a direct sequel. Once again, Roz finds herself learning to adapt to a new lifestyle and making friends (and enemies) among the local animals. She must adjust to life on a farm, which is more high-tech than you’d think. There are all sorts of other machines for her to tend to, though none really think and speak like she does, and she is constantly tracked by her new owner, making escape nearly impossible.

As ever, Roz is curious and kind, doing her best to learn new things and care for her animal friends, while trying to hatch a plan to escape. The first half of the story is about her life on the farm and her newfound friendship with the cows and the farmers two children, the second is about her adventures through the wild. I think I preferred the farm portion a bit more because it shows more of Roz’s personality. She wants to do well at her new job, but she is burdened with hiding her wild past and her ability to talk to animals. Her relationship with the children is cute too. The latter half of the book is a bit more hectic, with Roz moving from one environment to the next. She gets in a few scrapes, but gets out of them so quickly that there doesn’t seem to be a lot at stake. This could have been an issue in the first book, but I just don’t remember.

I think some of the adventures could have been cut in order to spend more time on others, but overall this was another fun story in the life of Roz. I realize it’s on the younger end of middle grade and I don’t mind the simplicity of the tale. I certainly hope there will be a third book!

I think this is a great book for younger readers, whether they can read on their own or they enjoy being read to. I’m also sorely tempted to get some of the artwork, as Brown sells prints! I think these books need a color run in the future!

When I picked up "The Wild Robot," I was expecting a fun escapist romp with a rogue robot -- nothing particularly memorable but fun nonetheless. What I ended up getting was a fun escapist romp that nonetheless tugged at my heartstrings and not only gave us some memorable characters, but had some valuable things to say about our environment and our relationship with it. And when the book ended on a bittersweet note, I found myself hungry for more. So finding a sequel in "The Wild Robot Escapes" was a delightful treat, and I'm happy to say that it's every bit as good as the first book, providing some much-needed closer to the story of Roz and giving readers another emotional punch that's nonetheless heartwarming and sweet as well.

"The Wild Robot Escapes" picks up not long after "The Wild Robot" left off -- with Roz, the renegade robot who lived among wild animals in the first book, now cleaned up, refurbished, and purchased by a farmer who hopes to use her to make much-needed repairs to his run-down farm. Roz not only proves up to the task, she makes friends in the cows and the farm children... but she misses the island she called home and longs to see her adopted son, the goose Brightbill, again. So she plots her escape -- an escape that will be complicated by dangerous predators, a team of fellow robots determined to hunt her down, and other challenges. And along the way, Roz ends up learning more about her creation, and just what makes her so unique...

Like its predecessor, "The Wild Robot Escapes" is written in a simple yet enchanting style, easy enough for children to follow along but still with a flair for description and drawing in the reader. The author manages to give the characters definite personality and fleshed-out characterization even with the short length and simple style, and gives a real sense of urgency during the action and chase sequences. The fact that the animals talk might be a little off-putting to older readers, but I found it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. If anything, it helps explain Roz's relationship with the wild and with Brightbill all the better.

The story itself is lovely as well, with genuine moments of humor, action, and surprisingly deep emotion. And it has some very valuable things to say about our relationship with the natural world, the nature of sentience and life itself, and our responsibility toward the planet. And while I would love to see more of Roz and Brightbill at some point, the story ends on a perfectly satisfying note.

A delightful continuation to "The Wild Robot," "The Wild Robot Escapes" is a sweet and fun story, great for kids but able to be appreciated by adults as well. If you're a fan of "The Iron Giant" or "Short Circuit," give "The Wild Robot" and "The Wild Robot Escapes" a read. You won't be disappointed.

I read this aloud to my 2nd graders and this is now their (and my) FAVORITE book!

As our friend Roz intentionally grew and changed, we cheered her progress and the process through which she grew and evolved. Peter's writing lends itself to such beautiful visual imagery and more than once a child would exclaim, "I can SEE exactly what is happening in my mind!" The simple and subtly-colored illustrations prompted many kiddos to draw their own Roz pictures - they felt they could "do" Roz. The emotions (both positive and negative) run strong in this book, and we cried both in joy and sadness together several times. The conversations sparked by this book were sometimes beautiful, and other times sad but restorative!

I DID assure my students as we neared the end (knowing how vested they were in Roz and her relationship with her "son") that a sequel was coming out. It helped them deal with the ending. They were able to still feel what happened to Roz, but are relieved to know, because the title of sequel, that Roz will return. Honestly, every day since we finished someone is referring to the book or giving the official countdown to when the sequel is delivered to us so we can reunite with this wonderful wild island and our beloved robot, Roz.

Thank you, Peter Brown!

Ahoy there me mateys! I fell in love with Roz in the first book, the wild robot. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read the first book then ye might want to skip this post. If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .

It was wonderful to be readin’ about Roz again and seeing how she handles the new obstacles in her path. Unlike the first book that happens in the wild, this book finds Roz dealing with humans and farming and cities. As always she is gregarious, hard-working, thoughtful, compassionate, and fabulous. I adored her entire time working on the farm.

Another quick and lovely read by the author. His illustrations were wonderful and heartwarming. While I be satisfied with the conclusion of the series, closing that final page was bittersweet. I will miss the further adventures of Roz but know she can surely handle anything that comes her way.

And like I said before, this be categorized as middle-grade. Bah! Don’t let that stop ye! I don’t put age limits on things. Everyone should read about Roz the robot.

The Wild Robot
by: Peter Brown
As a double education major (Secondary English and Elementary Education) I studied a lot of genres, authors, and grade levels of books. I adored Peter Brown's The Creepy Carrot. The illustrations were amazing and the story was great, even for a 22-year old college student. Therefore, I was super excited to read this book once I rediscovered who the author was.
I found this book on a fellow Instagram teacher's "Building a Diverse Library" list. It tells the story of a robot, Roz, who lands on an island after a hurricane shipwrecks her delivery ship. It tells the story of how Roz learns to fit into the wild she now calls home. The animals are terrified of her, but she eventually learns how to survive in the wilderness and become friends with the other animals.
The plot twist at the end left me a little shocked, but it was the perfect cliffhanger for a sequel. I cannot wait to read it! I would definitely recommend this book to any young person that is struggling to fit in, or students just about to start Middle or High school.

Wild Robot by Peter Brown was a very unique book. I really had no idea what to expect when I picked it up, and I was pleasantly surprised by the story. I instantly liked Roz, and my heart went out to her as she tried to make friends with the animals on the island. She is so kind and only wants to help others, but the animals resist her because she is different. The way Roz was treated makes you think about how ridiculous it is to judge anyone because of the way they look. Instead, actions speak louder than words or looks! One of my favorite parts about the story is the relationship between Roz and her son. When others judge their family for being different, they have a wonderful discussion about what family means. I think anyone from 3rd grade and up should read this book. It is a reminder to be kind and to give people a chance. If we all decided to help others, the world would be a kinder place. I have recently learned this is the first in a series- so I will be on the lookout for the next one soon.

The Wild Robot is about a robot named Roz who washes up on an island. When Roz wakes up, all the animals think she’s a monster and runs away. The animals are scared to interact with something that is different from what they already know. The purpose of the whole book is clearly set up as Roz learns and adapts to became part of the animal family. But it’s not easy.

The reader clearly sees the stereotyping taking place in the book just like we see everyday in our lives. The stereotype that she is a monster will stick for a long time, and it takes the other animals a lot of time to get rid of that stereotype and to accept Roz for who she is. At first, Roz is out of place and no one wants to be her friend. Roz has to work hard to show the animals that they can trust her. She has to work more than any other animal to gain trust because she is different.

This book packs a punch, and it’s engaging and action packed plot will keep readers entertained. The short chapters pack so much into them that each chapter could become a morning meeting activity for your class. The story is clearly written that any reader, no matter age, will be able to have a conversation around the aspects of the books.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narration was fabulous. Grab the book if you have time because there are illustrations throughout the book that I think adds to the story. I would highly suggest using this book in class if you are looking for a shorter novel that has a strong SEL component. This would also be a great book to suggest to a reader who needs some books to read over the summer.

Oh I can't believe we read this so long ago and I'm just now leaving a review... My 7 year old boy absolutely loved this book, he couldn't wait to read it to me every night, and I enjoyed it, too! Peter Brown really gets it so right, appealing to kids and adults. That can't be easy. We will read this again and again. I bet it becomes a classic!

Ahoy there me mateys! I was looking to read something short that fit me current mood and this book was found in the hold. This is listed as a middle-grade but bah! I don’t put age limits on things.

This is about a robot whose crate gets washed overboard from a cargo ship and she ends up on a deserted island. Except the island isn’t actually deserted. It is filled with local wildlife. So the robot, Roz, has to to discover how to survive on the island, her purpose, and perhaps how she got there.

Though this book had a slow start, I soon grew to love Roz. By the end of the story, I knew that I wanted to read the further adventures of this adorable robot. I just loved the idea of a robot going “wild” and making friends with all of the animals. Though the robot has some limitations due to programing, this does not stop her quest for growth and communication and companionship. A quick and lovely read. And the author’s illustrations were fun and perfect for the book. Check it out.

This book was such a surprise. The premise is about Roz, a robot who ends up stranded on an island full of animals and how she survives. But more so, it's a story of family. Of loneliness and wanting to belong. A story of friendship, loss, prejudice, service, sacrifice, fear, learning to survive when so many obstacles are against you, and ultimately, finding humanity. I really loved following Roz as she went from an unfeeling robot to being wild and really living.

The illustrations were fantastic and I'm already looking into Mr. Brown's picture books. I'm pretty sure there will be a sequel too and I'll definitely be picking it up. I recommend this to everyone and I've already handed it to one of my kids. I may have to read it aloud to them all though.

A ship carrying crates of robots capsizes in the ocean. Some of the crates float, only to be dashed on the rocks of a small island. One crate though survives and is left safely on the island. Some curious otters explore the crate and accidentally turn on the robot inside. That robot is Roz, designed to ensure her survival and help people. Soon Roz is exploring the island, climbing high on the rocks to see her surroundings. As she explores, the animals of the island declare her a monster and avoid her. Roz begins to acclimate to the island, figuring out how to camouflage herself. It is by sitting still and hidden that she starts to learn the language of the animals around her. As time passes, Roz is no longer gleaming and clean and she can speak with the animals. It isn’t until a deadly accident happens though that Roz shows the island residents who she really is.

This book is entirely magnificent. It is a book about nature, its beauty and grandeur and danger. It is a meditation on the outside, the power of it to change even a robot’s life. It is a look at the importance of listening and learning and finding one’s own way forward in unexpected circumstances. But most of all, it is a book about love and life and the way that finding someone to love transforms each of us.

There is something achingly beautiful about this book. Yes, there is more than enough action and humor to keep the book moving and of interest to children. Yes, the characters are brilliantly created and their relationships are drawn with skill and attention. Yes, its pacing is exceptional. It that ache though, that makes this book exceptional. The way that it is allowed to just be there, loneliness and acceptance, loss and love.

Truly an exceptional read created by a picture book author in his first foray into middle-grade books. Wow. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

When I spotted this book at our library, I immediately jumped on it. I have a soft spot for robots, and the premise of this one (as well as the cover artwork) reminded me strongly of "The Iron Giant," one of my all-time favorite movies. Robots are one of those versatile things in literature that offer a wellspring of creativity, the chance to do just about anything you could imagine. And "The Wild Robot" presented a delightful story with a colorful cast of characters, a unique and refreshing art style, and a story that was simple enough for children but still engaging and even offering a timely (though thankfully not heavy-handed) message about our wild places.

When a crate carrying a brand-new robot washes up on the shore of an island, the animals living there don't think much of it. And when the mysterious, mechanical Roz emerges from the crate and sets out to find her purpose, they avoid her, considering her a monster. Roz struggles to survive on the island, facing terrible storms, a bear attack, and the insults and distrust of the animals. But she's nothing if not determined, and she sets about learning all she can from the wild creatures -- their language, their means of survival, and most importantly how to take care of a tiny gosling that has fallen into her care. As time passes Roz befriends the creatures and becomes one of them... until her past comes back to haunt her, and she learns where she has come from and what she was created for.

Peter Brown's storytelling style is quite simple, yet thoughtful and evocative. He knows just how to paint the clearest picture with a few simple but well-chosen words, and even without the accompanying illustrations he creates vivid mental pictures for the reader. The illustrations are just an added bonus, and like his prose are deceptively simple but don't skimp on the necessary details. It's easy to see how he's earned awards for his illustration style.

At first the fact that the animals talked and had their own silly names turned me off... but in the end the characters won me over, and I realized that names like Loudwing and Brightbeak and Thorn and Frisk actually suited the creatures. Animals are probably bound to think of themselves by defining features, after all, and the story just wouldn't have worked had the animals remained mute throughout. Older readers might be turned off by the Bambi-like approach to the story, but younger readers will be delighted, and I found that it served the story well.

Roz herself is a fantastic character. She grows and develops over the course of the story, evolving from an unfeeling machine to a being capable of love and sorrow. Brown treads a careful line between making Roz too human to be truly robotic and too robotic to be relatable, and he actually manages to find and maintain that balance.

The book does carry an environmental message of sorts, most notably in the fact that water levels are rising and winters have grown worse due to climate change. But the story doesn't beat the reader over the head with this message, but trusts the reader to be able to connect the dots and draw their own conclusions. Thank you, Brown, for giving us an environmental message that's actually subtle for once but still effective and powerful.

A delightful read for older children, a sort of "Jungle Book" meets "The Iron Giant," this book has won a place in my heart. I grew to love Roz and her friends, and I hope other readers will grow to love her as well. Her story is unexpectedly moving and sweet, and will delight both nature-loving kids and robot-loving kids alike.

This book!! I love it so! Let me contain my unbounded excitement long enough to tell you three reasons why. First, the title drew me in right away. A robot in the wild? What’s not intriguing about that?

Second, the story totally captivated my interest. It lives up to the intrigue promised in the title. The premise is simple: a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the ocean on a stormy night, leaving behind only one crate that survives intact and washes onto the shore of a wilderness island. Inside the crate is a robot that some curious otters turn on by accident. Once the robot, named Roz, comes to life, she immediately begins to explore her environment not only to survive but also to find out what her purpose is. The idea of a robot trying to find her purpose in life may sound strange. Robots aren’t even alive, anyway—are they? I’m willing to bet, though, that by the end of the story you won’t think this idea is so strange. You might even come to love Roz just as much as the animals on the island do.

The third reason I love this book is for the illustrations. They are gorgeous and appealing at first glance. Brown’s two-dimensional style is deceptively simple in appearance but shows meticulous discipline in its geometric and pattern-based execution. Sorry, I’m getting a little design-geeky here! To put it more plainly, the author’s simple art is a perfect companion to this simple yet deeply profound story. His illustrations bring Roz the robot and her animal friends to life with irresistible charm.

In summary, The Wild Robot is an enchanting fable about what’s really important in life: love, friends, family, and community. And the main character is a robot! What’s not to like? I think this is a great introduction for young readers who are just beginning to tackle longer chapter books, and it’s also ideal for reading out loud at bedtime. It makes me wish I were still young enough for bedtime stories. Yes, it’s that good. Buy a copy for the special child in your life—and/or for yourself! It’s a book that speaks to all ages.

<i>Rozzum unit 7134, or Roz, ends up on a small island when the ship transporting her and several other units sinks in a storm. Woken by a group of curious otters, Roz begins adapting to her new surroundings and learning what she can about island life. She tries to carve out a living in what she thinks of as her home, but the local animals see her as a monster. Can she find a way to get them to accept her?</i>

<b>I.

Love.

This.

Book.</b>

Okay, I know I’m biased, as I’m a robot – but even for humans, this is a book that’s easy to enjoy.

First, let’s talk design. The illustrations (by the author!) are adorable. They’re full of texture and movement and I would love to see this book in full color (please, take my money!) Even under the jacket the book is embossed with an image of Roz.

The story is sweet and engaging. I immediately liked Roz and as her character grew and developed, I liked her even more. She manages to gain a personality, yet remains robotic in many ways. The animals of the island come to life through their interactions with her as well. And there are some parts of the story that are a little gritty, yet true to what life might be like as a robot living in the wild, and still appropriate for younger readers. I flew through this book in a day and I need more Roz in my life right now.

<i>The Wild Robot</i> was an instant favorite for me. I recommend this for urban robots looking for a taste of what it’s like to survive in the wilderness, humans who love to read about adorable robots and children who love machines and adventure. And anyone who likes middle grade or reading in general because this book is too cute!

I wish I could give this book 10 stars, I love it so much. I purchased it through a local bookstore where it was highly recommended by the woman working the children's floor. I was a little intimidated by the length for my son, but figured it was worth a shot.
My son is almost 8 and in second grade. I know comprehension is the big skill that they are mastering at his age. I decided we'd read it together, and discuss what's going on, so I could make sure he was understanding everything. It also made for wonderful quality time, as he's the oldest of four.
We immediately felt drawn to the characters in this book. There is a fairy tale like element to this robots' journey, and the characters immediately came to life as we were reading. Roz, the robot who finds herself on a deserted island, just stole our heart. The chapters were very quick and there are plenty of pictures throughout the book to add to the story, My son and I have laughed and had our heart strings pulled at while reading this book. I could compare it to a classic like Charlotte's web, with the animals weaved to life. I don't want to give too much away, but I can only say that you won't be disappointed. This is by far one of the best books I've read in a long time. I look forward to reading more of Peter Brown's work in the future! This book has been a treasure!

I love Peter Brown's picture books. He writes and illustrates with a lot of humor and still manages to get some sort of message inside the book without it feeling too message-y. I was thrilled to see Brown had written a middle grade book. While the writing feels stilted at first, the story becomes more exciting as it progresses. It's not entirely original (the themes will feel very familiar to any adult who is a reader) but the approach is interesting. Kids will enjoy The Wild Robot a lot and not just for the pictures. This is a great way to introduce science fiction and fantasy to younger readers with a bit of a real world feel and some things to learn along the way about friendship, accepting differences, and perseverance. I highly recommend The Wild Robot for readers young and old.

Thank goodness there's a sequel in the works! My 10 year old son and I just finished this book tonight, and it had him in tears. We immediately went to the store to check for a book 2. Hurrah! The book ends on a suspenseful note, and the idea that Roz the Robot's story would continue brought us both some peace of mind.

This is an odd, quirky book that surprised me with its ability to sustain the attention of my reluctant reader son for a read-aloud choice. The voice and tone felt too young at first, more like the picture books we have loved by this author. I wasn't sure, honestly, if I could go through an entire novel that felt more like a picture book.

Then I realized my son was hooked, fully engaged by all the animal characters, Roz's adventures on the island, and her attempts to first survive and then find a community. So many wonderful themes to discuss -- we had rich conversations every evening around the chapters we read.

By the end, my son had grabbed the book and was reading it all out loud to me, riveted. We stayed up until 11 to finish. There are sad scenes, to be sure. There are surprising acts of violence. Perhaps this juxtaposition of more mature themes combined with the pictures and the gentler tone were what made the book feel so emotionally wrenching, especially for a child on the verge of tweenhood. There is a lot going on in the story with family configurations, with growth and departures, with mother and son, and the themes hit us hard.

I ended the book in awe not only of the turns the story had taken, but the power it held over my son. That's just good storytelling. He even liked the author's note about why he chose to write the book. It's fascinating.

We are hooked and await the October sequel!

10 Year Old Son finished this book IN ONE NIGHT.... he couldn't put it down. It made him laugh and cry - he was very moved and when he finished it - he told me "I need the next book, I have to know what happens". So ordered the next in the series and I hope he starts it earlier in the day so he's not reading to the wee hours again (I also hope the 2nd book in the series lives up to his expectations). I highly recommend this book, based on my son's enthusiasm for it - any book that can keep a 10 year old boy interested and invoke emotions, is a book worth reading. (yes, I'll be reading it as well).

THE WILD ROBOT by Peter Brown tells the thought-provoking story of a robot trying to survive and thrive in the wilderness.

When a ship carrying crates of robots sinks, one surviving robot is marooned on a remote island. Roz the robot soon finds a place in the unpredictable, outdoor world. Experiencing the seasons, making animal friends, and learning about nature, Roz gradually becomes part of the island’s animal community. When intruders come for Roz, the island creatures band together in support of their friend.

Young readers will be attracted to the many illustrations woven throughout the story. Peter Brown’s fascinating characters, fast-paced plot, and short, easy-to-read chapters will draw a large audience.

Librarians will find this book to be an engaging read-aloud option. The story’s unique premise combining the worlds of science fiction and the great outdoors makes for an unforgettable reading experience. Look for this title on many “best of 2016” lists.

To learn more about the author, go to[...]

Published by Little, Brown for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

I am giving this 3 of 5 stars not because of the book itself - which my son is enjoying - but because of the pricing. Pricing the Kindle edition significantly higher than the paperback and almost as much as the hardcover edition is just annoying. Given that their costs for the Kindle edition are lower than for the paperback, I assume that the publisher is simply trying to squeeze as much profit from this as they can. It is obnoxious.

I just finished The Wild Robot by Peter Brown .
This book is a wonderful journey to be taken on. A brand new, fresh out of the box, robot named Roz learns she is on an island in the middle of the ocean. Alone. Soon, Roz figures out she is not alone on the island. It is quite wild with living things, and they see her too. Roz's appearance makes the animals fearful at first. But soon Roz gets to learn friendship, support, happiness, and love. Of course once I'm super invested in Roz and her little duckling, I (along with all of Roz's friends and family) am scared for her, worried for her, heart stopped freaking out for her. This was such a great read.

I was very excited to read this book. It had all the makings of being a favorite. And as I began reading, the librarian in me saw the ray of light shining down and heard the hallelujah chorus playing. Finally! A younger survival story. Well-written. Simple text with complex ideas that will spark discussions. I was already compiling a list of teachers to recommend it to. And then the end… it was like I was reading an entirely different book. Guns, violence-- jarring. All of a sudden a book that, in my mind, was an instant classic completely narrowed its audience and use. And somehow that made it worse, because it had no reason to become mediocre. Sometimes violence and guns are a necessary part of the story. It doesn't have to be all happy endings. But I feel like this book sold itself short in the gratuitous nature of the violence. It neither matched the sophistication of the earlier chapters or the futuristic concept of the end (rifles just don't strike me as robot weapons). I see where Peter Brown was headed and I think a sequel would be fantastic. But I wish he would have written this book with a less violent (but equally heart wrenching) ending and let the chapter about the goose migration foreshadow what will become of Roz in the sequel. It would have been just as effective and would have allowed so many librarians and teachers to use this book as a teaching tool.

If I were just a parent picking this book off the shelf, I'd probably have a different opinion. But, as a librarian, I'm really perturbed. All that potential for meaningful discussions gone in a few short pages. A book I would have loved recommending to the masses, I now have to use caution with. The writing and illustrations will make it appeal to a younger audience than who might be able to handle the ending. I am truly hoping a sequel comes out that is so stellar it will make this mismatched ending worth it.

Adorable with short chapters and multiple points of view, it has a certain spark of mild pleasantness which works well for a younger audience. 

The Wild Robot Escapes balances between an early reader and middle grade in the fun, somewhat nebulous region of what might be called lower middle grade. It's an easy read, and I finished it within an hour.

Brown doesn't address any horrifying aspects head on. Even the fact that a previously free individual has been enslaved (i.e. the freaking robot) is presented as an inconvenience more often than it's addressed as a cruelty. Perhaps the unaffected manner of narration keeps things from going down a darker avenue. Either way, it gave me something of I, Robot for kids feels. 

There are some parts that seemed straight out of Finding Nemo, so I can't say this is the most original book, but it's a pleasant little read.

This is a summary/review from my 10 year old son...

This book is about a robot named Roz that gets trapped on an island after the ship carrying her crate sinks. Some animals on the island discovered Roz and accidentally activated her. They taught her their language(es) and how to be wild.A year later, a ship came and dropped off three more robots named RECO 1, 2, and 3. Their job was to deactivate her but the animals totally ripped apart RECO 1 and 3 protecting Roz. Then she got badly damaged in a fight with RECO 2 and had to leave the island with him to get fixed. I really liked this book because most robot books are about crazy things like ending civilization. This book was about the fact that you can change and learn new stuff.

I read Peter Brown's THE WILD ROBOT over the weekend, and the power of this book has just stayed with me. Comparisons with and connections (all positive) to Charlotte's Web keep popping into my mind. Brown's book is not at all derivative, but his use of the changing/transformative seasons, his just-right anthropomorphizing of the animals balanced with the trueness of their actual instincts and roles/behaviors in nature, and the children-can-totally-handle-this ending (no spoilers), place the book, for me, right in the canon of exquisite storytelling that entertains at the same time as it gives children an opportunity to question and explore. Roz the robot adapts and evolves beautifully in a lovely, quiet read, with just the right mix of adventure and humor. I don't like going backward in time, but this is a book I wish I'd had when my son was young and we were doing read-alouds...I can only imagine the fantastic conversations we would have had around it.

No spoilers in this review. A fun, delightful, sweet, precious story. I loved it SOOOOOOOO much. It is about a robot, Roz, who ends up the only surviving robot on a remote island due to a ship sinking. Roz befriends the animals and rescues a baby gosling who she adopts as her own. There are many conflicts as robot interacts with nature, and vice versa. The story has funny moments, sad moments, exciting moments, even scary moments -- but nothing is too scary for children to enjoy. Like the author, I have always loved nature and also robots, and rarely are robots and nature in the same story. This story is perfect in every way. The illustrations are wonderful and I highly, whole-heartedly recommend this book to children, teens and adults of all ages!

This is a wonderful story about becoming more than you thought you could be, overcoming expectations, and the importance of community. It definitely has some scary, sad and/or violent sections, particularly at the end. But I’m so glad we read it. Great book that doesn’t pander to kids, enjoyable for all ages.

As the first of a series, this book does a fine job setting the stage for a promising storyline. From the titular robot’s own confusion at the outset upon landing on an ostensibly deserted island to his adoption into the world of the island’s inhabitants, the reader is witness to situations both charming and chilling. At the climax, the action becomes truly frightening—and borderline disturbing for younger readers—but it all appears in service to a wider and intriguing narrative that will be fulfilled in books to come.

My almost 6 year old grandson and I are really enjoying this charming story. I read it to him on FaceTime since he's 2000 miles away. I like how Peter Brown allows some hard realities to enter the story and doesn't sweeten it up too much. But the story is very loving nevertheless. I'd say it starts a little slowly but it grows on you quickly. How does a female robot become a mother? Just one of many questions answered in this interesting adventure!

This is one of the sweetest, most unique books my son and I have ever read together. He is 8, and we were both enthralled with this story. It is a little strange, and the last few chapters are a bit heavy, but overall we were delighted by this book. I felt very emotionally connected to The Wild Robot, and my son was really touched by the relationship between Roz and Brightbill. It touches on some more profound topics such as humans and their relationship with animals and the relationship between technology and nature. It made for some good talks at bedtime, and now that this book is done, we both miss it.

What about Roz? Well, Roz is a robot stranded on an island. Roz is a robot that learns things while on the island, how to talk to animals, how to survive, and how to make fire. She is a robot With a lot of animal friends, but more importantly, she is a mother. She is very caring, and is smart. She has a lot of feelings, despite being lifeless, and artificial.

This was, and still is one of my favorite books of all time. I really hope the author makes a second book. I would rate this book ten out of ten, five stars.

These books are amazing and I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter to read to my 6 year old each night. I've yet to find another chapter book that has suspense and a writing style that isn't overdone; most authors of chapter books for kids write as if they are writing mini novels as opposed to taking their audience into consideration. Children don't want flourishing language; they want excitement and a engaging story-line.

Loved this book!!! It was a beautiful, endearing story full of fun and adventure. I read it to my 12 year old son and he really enjoyed it. The chapters were short but kept the story moving. Loved the illustrations too throughout. We read a lot of books, as we read together every day. So far, this is my favorite book of the year. I give this series the highest recommendation. :)

Peter Brown took 2 1/2 years to complete this book, making his middle grade debut. It is devilishly difficult to infuse a short simple book with deep resonance, harder still if the genre is science fiction. Perfect for as young as 1st or 2nd grade, the chapters are short and the sentences simple and the story compelling. However, The Wild Robot is also great for anyone, child or adult, who loves nature and fears for it. Pete Brown's given young readers a gift, trusting them to explore the meaning of family, the adventure of adoption, the uses of technology, and the future of the natural world. A huge bonus: the pictures are terrific!

The Wild Robot was fantastic- this sequel is even better. I personally couldn't put it down. I like the way Peter Brown writes and the unusual story here. This is a carefully crafted story and refreshingly original. His illustrations (I believe he illustrated as well) are touching in their simplicity. Okay, I might have cried at the picture of the robot and the goose :)

My 2nd grade son's grade school held a "family reading challenge" event over the last 6 weeks. All of the students read this book with a parent during that time. I couldn't be happier with their choice of book. This book is AMAZING. So many good messages and engaging characters. I was CRYING when we finished. We cannot wait for the sequel to be released. Thank goodness it won't be long!

From my 10-yr-old son: These books (The Wild Robot and The Wold Robot Escapes) are amazing! On a scale of 1-15, I'd give them a 15. They are really creative, and I'm a kind of a guy who likes the future, and what predictions about the future are going to be. The combination of nature and robots was perfect for a kid like me who likes animals but also likes science. I highly recommend these books to all kids and adults.

My eight-year old absolutely loved this book. I was surprised a chapter book of this length could hold his attention among all the graphic novels and heavily-illustrated, mind-numbingly dumb books my kids find at the library-- but it did. One of the few chapter books he's ever read from start to finish on his own. My kids still talk about the story now and again (my nine-year old read it soon after). The parts I skimmed and read through were very touching and thoughtful. Well-written. And of course the illustrations are tasteful and well-done, too.

The Wild Robot was super sweet and still managed to keep me on the edge of my seat while reading. I kept getting worried about Roz and Brightbill, so I absolutely flew through it. This book had the unusual and clever combination of high tech and nature. If you're looking for some lower MG, I definitely recommend it. Note that there is death (=nature!) and some sad parts.

This book is as perfect a little story as cam be. I couldn't put it down. Young children to Senior Citizens will treasure this treasure forever. Life and Death, global warming, nature and technology, but mainly LOVE, is the theme. The evocative yet simple drawings throughout, marry mystically with the simple and powerful story. Children young and old will keep this book as a treasure to revisit again and again...What a book. I haven't read a kid's book like this in many years, and I'v work as a Children's Librarian in a Public Library for over 20 years...I have bought this book to send to those I love, young and old...Thank you, Peter Brown...It is marvelous....

Book #63 Read in 2016
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Roz is a robot and is washed up on an island after the ship carrying her sinks. The island animals believe Roz to be a monster and are scared of her. Eventually, Roz convinces them, mostly through her fostering of Brightbill, an orphaned gosling, that she is not a monster and wishes to be friends with them. The island crew band together when things get dangerous. This is a cute, quick read that middle school students will love. I borrowed this book from the public library.

In his middle-grade debut, award-winning picture book author and illustrator Peter Brown proves that he can effectively tell a story over more than 32 pages.

Acclaimed picture book author and illustrator Peter Brown has long been enamored of the natural world. His award-winning picture book THE CURIOUS GARDEN was inspired by New York City’s High Line park and the successful attempts of urbanites to insert elements of the wilderness into city living. His more recent award-winner, MR. TIGER GOES WILD, depicts a jungle beast who casts off societal constraints and discovers his true nature --- in nature.

It shouldn’t be too surprising, then, that in his debut as a novelist, Brown should touch on some of the same themes, while also introducing readers to one of the most memorable and heartwarming robots in literature since the Iron Giant.

After a shipwreck, ROZZUM unit 7134 (but you can call her Roz) washes up on the shore of a remote island. She is the only robot to survive; the bodies of her fellow robots break apart against the sharp rocks at the shoreline. Roz, whose guiding instincts are for self-preservation and for learning as much as she can about the world around her, makes for higher ground --- and there she finds a world beyond her wildest imagination (if robots had imaginations).

Roz marvels at the skills and habits and instincts of the animals she observes, but she has a hard time connecting with any of them, especially since many of them view her as a monster; that is, until, through her own clumsiness, she causes the death of an entire family of geese --- except for one lone egg. Roz, who has begun to learn the speech of the animals, turns to other creatures to help her figure out how to care for the goose, Brightbill, who hatches from the egg. It turns out that motherhood is the role that Roz is best suited for, and her relationship with Brightbeak not only saves the young gosling, it may also save the robot as well.

Observing Roz’s evolution toward a sort of humanity, prompted by what can only be called compassion (even if she can’t really feel emotions) toward wild creatures will inspire readers to embrace their own “wildness.” The novel’s first two-thirds are immersed in the life of the island and the interactions between and among species, in a way that may remind some readers of the novels of Avi.

But without giving too much away, things take a darker turn near the novel’s end, with developments that not only give the novel some context (and introduce some political issues) but also might prove scary for younger readers who had earlier been charmed by the wildlife stories. Nevertheless, the novel’s conclusion (which leaves the door wide open for a sequel, thank goodness!) is powerful and relevant, ripe for discussion with whatever grownup is lucky enough to share the book with the children in their lives. And, while you’re at it, don’t forget to share the pictures during read-aloud time, too --- Brown’s illustrations are a mix of humor and pathos as powerful and affecting as those in his picture books.

Reviewed by Norah Piehl

A beautifully written novel about the friendship between machine and animals. Roz, the robot, ends up on an island full of animals. The animals are scared of her at first, but Roz proves that kindness and friendship can win the hearts of the animals. This should be mandatory reading for kids. Roz leads a life of helpfulness and is a better person/robot because of it.

I rarely leave reviews. I read this with my nine year old grandson after his teacher read the first one - The Wild Robot. This was the sequel. It is an excellent book for any kid. Even though it is filled with adventure, it is also filled with messages of kindness and tolerance. My grandson couldn't wait to read more each night - he said it was "super good" and he really liked the adventure in the book.

I loved this book so much! I have been reading chapter books to my four kids every night since my now 17-year old was 6. This might be in my top five (okay, non Harry Potter) of all time and certainly the best newer book I have read in ages. Just an enchanting story wonderfully told with amazing illustrations. I loved this as much, if not more than my kid. My 10-year old (and 17-year old brother listening in) both loved it, too.

A wonderful book from Peter Brown. My 8 year old son absolutely loved this book. With short chapters, my son was encouraged by the progress he was making and it resulted in him reading more and more with each sitting! This book sparked lots of questions and conversations between us about being kind to others, what makes a family a family, and what it means to be alive. While the humor and the pictures are certainly enjoyable, The Wild Robot is filled with so many important underlying messages and themes, I was most grateful for the chance to explore them with my son.

What an interesting concept for a book. I read it for a library challenge and I really enjoyed it. I think it has a good message for kids as it illustrates how different creatures can get along despite their differences. I cant wait to read the sequel.

I was searching on Pinterest for books my 3rd grade boy might like. I have a lazy reader ? I came across this book and was drawn in by the cover. I started reading for him.. not even by the end of the first chapter he was already laying under my arm, we took turns and read 30 chapters! He already wants the next “robot escape” book! We even learned facts about the opossums we didn’t know! ? we bought the iBook version so he can even read it on the ipod ?

In my mind (and in my fifth grade classroom and amongst my fifth grade students), there wasn't a better book written this year. It was the runaway favorite in my class's #MockNewbery voting. Thank you, Peter Brown, for giving us Roz. This thoroughly enjoyable, and easily read, book will enchant (boys, girls and adults) and then stick with you long after you've finished reading. On the surface this seems like a simple book of an out-of-place robot. But Roz will tug on your heart, much the way that Ivan did (in The One and Only Ivan) did a few years ago. I can't recommend this book enough!

Review from a 10-year-old girl: This book was very mesmerizing and fun to read. I loved the nature and animals in the story and was delighted when all the animals joined in to protect the protagonist, a robot named Roz. The book is very calm and good for readers who want to take a break from action-packed novels.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown is a children's book I enjoyed for a break from heavy topics and intense mystery novels. This is a light, fun read about animals on an island who become friends with Roz, a robot who got washed up on their island in a crate. Roz befriends the different animals along the way and they grow to like her in return. She adopts a little gosling and learns to be a good mother to it. I think children would enjoy this one very much.

This book reaffirms my confidence in contemporary children's literature. It is a masterpiece. I cannot wait until my own grandson is old enough for me to read it to him. I recommend this book to anyone who can read and has a heart. This is the kind of book you read slowly because you don't want it to end. Read it. Read it. Read it.

I have enjoyed reading this each night with my 9yr old daughter. Wonderful imagery and perspectives, that from a boy and from his fox. Seemingly dark characters and conditions at times feeding the senses for the reader to empathize on hardships and painful memories--of loss or betrayal. Big topics for a young girl, but very readable and engaging. A great read.

This is a story about differences, about friendships, discovery, relationships, growing, changing and adapting. The characters are quite endearing, despite one of the main ones being a robot! There are a lot of good parallels to be drawn from this story, especially in today's world. This story touched my heart, made me mad, made me sad, made me laugh and made me wonder, sometimes all in the matter of a few pages. Well done, Peter Brown!

I read this to my 8 and 9 year olds -- we all fell in love with it. Truly unique, it is at heart a science fiction story, and develops complexity and wider implications as it goes along. It combines meditations on big themes of life, death, consciousness, family with beautiful depictions of nature and very sweet characters.

My 8 yo son read this and recommended it to me. It is a beautiful story about love, family, friendship, and the ability to adapt to change. Wonderful life lessons for children and adults! The final chapters might be a bit strong for younger or sensitive readers.

It just so happened that my four and a half year old and I finished The Wild Robot two weeks before this book came out. We were SO excited to find out what happened to Roz next and this book didn't disappoint. This is a beautiful book that not only held the attention of my preschooler, but moved me to tears more than once. Roz will always hold a special place in our hearts and I cannot wait to see what Peter Brown writes next!

I think this book will create some great questions and thoughts for readers. My gauge for a five-star book is that I can't put it down and when I am not reading it, I can't stop thinking about it. As a teacher of fifth grade, I can see students that love nature being interested in this book. It is endearing and the author developed the characters well. I will have it in my class library in the fall and that will be the true test of its "survival". Will kids be lining up to read it and be talking non-stop about it? My prediction, probably not.

I am writing this after finishing The Wild Robot with my 5 yr old son tonight. I read a LOT of really amazing books and somehow this children's book has me crying like a baby and wracking my brain to think of all the friends and family I know with kids that would absolutely adore this book. What a wonderful blend of sweet and sadness. And silliness. My son likes to do the sound effects of pinecones thunking off of my head when I kiss him goodnight and he cracks up whenever he thinks of the RECO being blinded by poop. Peter Brown totally gets it. He are amazing. Thrilled there will be a sequel. (For me as much as my son Felix).

I like to read all the books on my daughters assigned reading list from school. I'm not always pleased by the teachers picks. This one is a winner. I do audible so I can listen while I am working. I went through this book in 2 days. Loved it

I read this to my four and a half year old and we LOVED this book! The story captured my son's imagination and he couldn't wait to read more each night. I couldn't either for that matter. More than once I was tempted to read ahead! It was one of his first chapter books and I am so thankful that we picked it, because it has really fostered a love of reading.

Written by an 8 year old:
I love this book so so much. It's my favorite book. In fact, I'm in the middle of reading it for the second time. I love it so much. I would recommend this book before you buy any other book.

This was the best book in the world ? ? This book is so good that I am in love with it‼️But if it was kiiiiinnnnnnddddd of bad when I was at the end of the book because I was left hanging when I was at the end.But it was a rrrrreeeeeeeeaaaaaaaalllllllllllyyyyyyyyy good book anyway!???

A castaway robot survives in her new island home, learning and growing; making her contributions to the island's wildlife. Roz is a robot with a heart big enough to care for the creatures she meets. She even adopts an orphan on her journey to become wild.

There are good reviews about this book already, so I will just leave my five stars and not give a thorough analysis. I read a few chapters at a time with my sons (7 and 9) this summer. We all enjoyed it. My boys are younger than the intended age group, but they had a stake in the story and wondered what Roz and the wildlife of the island would do next. It made us discuss what being alive means. This story will stay with all of us for a long time.

The Wild Robot really got to me. After reding this book I couldn't stop telling my parents how great it was. I love how Roz uses her skills given to her to not only take care of her adopted son, but the entire forest. By reading this book I could barely get out of the house, reading this book nonstop. I would give this 10 strs if I could.

I loved this book. I've read my 5 year old son many, many novels over the last 5 years and I believe this book should be considered a classic and is one of my favorites thus far. We had many truly meaningful discussions while reading this book.

My 6 year old son and I have really enjoyed reading this aloud at bedtime, chapter by chapter. The chapters are often very short, so it is perfect for customizing reading time. The writing style is very simple with a few new vocabulary words to discuss. This and the Moomintroll series have been our favorite chapter books so far. We'll be looking for more!

This is a review by my 9-year old son:
I liked this book so so much that when the baby gosling came out I didn't see the feet at first and then I looked back and then I saw the little feet and it made me think oh my god this goose is so cute. All the writing you did was so epic that I saw a picture of it in my head with every sentence. And I want to have a sequel!
Leo

My favorite book and the best I have ever read with my child. Adults and kids will both enjoy this read. I hope he continues this series. I will buy every book. I also hope they make this into a movie! It would be a great movie! I highly recommend

This book is awesome. Especially for those of you who love easy but meaningful books. This book takes us through the lives of a robot, who is stranded on an island, and learns to adapt with its surroundings. I recommend this book.

My boys and I enjoyed reading the next adventures of Roz.
"It was cool and awesome" - age 5
"I like how it gave suspense and you had to keep reading to find out what happened. I want more!" - age 11

I loved how many chapters there were! ????????????????️‍??️‍?????????????⚾️?️‍♀️⚔️???????☺️??????????????????????????⭐️?✨⚡️☄️????☀️?????????️?️⛓️???️??️???????????️??❤️?????⚜️❗️⁉️❕❓❔‼️〽️???⬆️↗️↩️↖️⤴️???♥️♦️?️???️??????????????✈️?????????⛵️???⛴?⚓️⛽️????????????⛲️⛱????

Reviwed from 10 year old boy - Love this book sooo much. It is so wild with a great adventure. I love Robots and wilderness. My favorite characters are Bright Bill and Roz. This book makes me smile and happy and cry. It is so great. I will always rember this awesome book I read in school. Swooper is a cool animal name.

I read this because I was drawn to the cover. I was happily surprised to find more illustrations throughout. Really enjoyed all the illustrations. The story was just okay. I started off thinking it was a little boring but would be good for its intended audience (middle schoolers), but toward the end it grew a bit violent. Admittedly, I haven't read a ton in this genre lately, so would be interested to hear what an actual middle schooler thought. Not one I would currently recommend to my daughter when she gets older.

This is a lovely novel that is a different take on the traditional "coming of age" story. It allows children to safely explore the complexities of life and self-discovery in the midst of grappling with how others perceive you. Looking forward to the next book by Brown.

I am not a robot or science fiction reader but really liked this book. It was on our county fourth and fifth grade Battle of the Books reading list. Caring for others was a theme thru out the book. Something our world needs right now.

This book was such a surprise! We borrowed it from the library without knowing anything about it and it's one of our favorite books. I bought it, after we read it just to have and to read again and again

Tip: Don't read The Wild Robot to your kids (sons in particular) unless you're comfortable weeping openly and having to pause to catch your breath and collect yourself multiple times during the last few chapters. Beautiful.

It's a sci-fi book about a robot but also about nature and animals and relationships. It's filled with adventure but also deep tenderness and compassion. I can't recommend this enough for your daughters, sons, grandkids, nephews, nieces, everyone!

I love this book because I really like how the author showed the characters' feelings. And I like how he showed everyone helping everybody out. And can robots actually be alive? How is that even possible?

My favorite part in the book is when Roz finds the nest of geese and brings Bright-bill's egg back with her.

I like how the author made it a little depressing but not too depressing. I like books like that even though I cried at the end of the book.

A sweet robot version of Hachet. Wholesome adventure, some action and an authentic feel. Target audience 3/4 grade, even 2 grade if advanced enough. A little open ended but good resolution for conclusion.

I read the ARC of this book. I am not sure I like it or whether the children I work with will like it. I did like it up to the point where the Recons came to the Island. Then, it seemed like a different story, and one that I did not care for very much. The writing, sentence structure, and description seemed choppy. Perhaps that was intentional, the story being told by a robot, but I don't think this book models great writing.