Book Review: The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
The Wild Robot
Series: The Wild Robot #1
Author: Peter Brown
Published: April 5, 2016
279 Pages
Reviewed By: Cristina
Book Description:
Can a robot survive in the wilderness?
When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is–but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island’s unwelcoming animal inhabitants.
As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home–until, one day, the robot’s mysterious past comes back to haunt her.
From bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Peter Brown comes a heartwarming and action-packed novel about what happens when nature and technology collide.
Cristina’s Review:
What would happen if a robot with AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities was washed up on an island with no humans? It would become a WILD robot, naturally! ROZZUM unit 7134–Roz for short–finds herself in a world unlike the one she’s been programmed for. Roz must learn how to communicate with all the animals on the island in order to survive. She eventually becomes part of the island family, but Roz knows something her animal friends don’t. She knows that the factory that made her will eventually figure out she’s missing. And they will send something to find her. How will Roz protect her new family and keep her freedom? Read The Wild Robot to find out!
I really enjoyed this story. Peter Brown did a great job of exploring two really thoughtful topics: community and self-awareness. Roz is originally viewed as a monster by the animals on the island, but as she helps the various animals in different ways, they slowly change their opinions. There are some moments of humor, like when Roz first meets Pinktail the opossum. There are some incredibly tender moments, like when Roz explains to her adopted goose son what happened to the rest of his family. And throughout it all, there is a sense of wonder and discovery as Roz learns and grows.