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The Wild Robot
(The Wild Robot #1)
by
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 ...more
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 ...more
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Hardcover, 279 pages
Published
April 5th 2016
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
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Start your review of The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, #1)

Feb 21, 2018
Jesse (JesseTheReader)
added it
This was a nice read! I loved the illustrations so much. At times I did feel the story felt a little bit disjointed and all over the place, but it was a quick and sweet read.

The Written Review
Need a good read for a bad day? Here's a Booktube Video all about it!!
FRIENDSHIP OVER - if you don't love this book
(I'm serious - don't test me)
I cannot remember the last time when I was so surprised and delighted.
This brought me back to my childhood and I am forever grateful to Peter Brown for writing it.
One year ago, I awoke on the shore of island. I was just a machine. I functioned. But you --- my friends and my family --- have taught me how to live.Roz - a standar ...more

My family loves Peter Brown and we have a few of his other children’s books in our home library which are favorites. We were so excited to find out he had written a middle-grade book and went ahead and purchased The Wild Robot. After my daughter read it, she kept begging me to get to it, and I’m sorry I waited so long. This turned out to be a great read!
The story begins with a robot named Roz who has arrived on an island. She was in a crate among other robots on a ship and now has been washe ...more

The story begins with a robot named Roz who has arrived on an island. She was in a crate among other robots on a ship and now has been washe ...more

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 phil
...more

I know, I know. I'm as surprised as anyone . . . a book about a robot that I didn't go absolutely ga-ga over.
Who'd a thunk it?
I was expecting this to be one of my favorite reads of the year, but instead, I just found it strange - a weird, disconcerting read. You see, the author employs this folksy, gather-'round-kiddies-and-I'll-tell-you-a-tale voice that seems most likely to appeal to very young children, and yet, there are such mature themes here. And death. Lots and lots of death.
On the p ...more
Who'd a thunk it?
I was expecting this to be one of my favorite reads of the year, but instead, I just found it strange - a weird, disconcerting read. You see, the author employs this folksy, gather-'round-kiddies-and-I'll-tell-you-a-tale voice that seems most likely to appeal to very young children, and yet, there are such mature themes here. And death. Lots and lots of death.
On the p ...more

This was a good idea. I have a nephew who just went to a robot convention to build a little robot. He is robot crazy, so I understand the popularity of a robot very well. I love them in Star Wars. I even loved Data in Star Trek.
I could not relate to Roz, the robot, in this story. I didn't understand why a robot was used really. I feel the emotional journey that Roz goes on would have been better with some sort of detached person or something, I don't know. I kept getting hung up on the robot Ro ...more
I could not relate to Roz, the robot, in this story. I didn't understand why a robot was used really. I feel the emotional journey that Roz goes on would have been better with some sort of detached person or something, I don't know. I kept getting hung up on the robot Ro ...more

I loved the illustrations in this so much. They are absolutely perfect for the story.
I actually loved the whole book. I thought it would be just a children's book but it actually had some important topics in it (global warming and the effect it has on animals for example).
I'm really curious for the second book in this series! ...more
I actually loved the whole book. I thought it would be just a children's book but it actually had some important topics in it (global warming and the effect it has on animals for example).
I'm really curious for the second book in this series! ...more

Read the ARC, which doesn't have the final illustrations and still thought it was powerful. This book will spark lots of great conversations with kids about kindness, community, and what it means to be alive.
Update: Read the finished book and declare it even better with the illustrations, of course! ...more
Update: Read the finished book and declare it even better with the illustrations, of course! ...more

The first 70% of The Wild Robot is adorable. This middle aged story is void of humans and our lead character is instead a robot. One that can learn and analysis things in order to determine the best course of action based on databases stored in it's logs (things like survival, animal types, etc.). Peter Brown has taken the idea of a conscious AI and given it life in our Robot.
The Animals
Just as key to the story as the robot itself are the animals on the island. Each is a character in it's own r ...more
The Animals
Just as key to the story as the robot itself are the animals on the island. Each is a character in it's own r ...more

I liked this 3rd or 4th grade book I listened to with the fam on a road trip in the western US, the first in a series, maybe a trilogy. Roz is one of the robots who washes up on the shore of an island when being transported to her owner. All of her fellow robots are smashed on the rocks, but she lives on to encounter nature, basically in the form of other animals who are not welcoming to her (an immigration or bully thing). She actually encounters the threat of violence from two adolescent bears
...more

I did not like this book at all. Except the premise of a robot in the wild it did not make much sense. I'll expand on the reasons.
There is a big gap between the writing style, which is almost so simple to fit only a really short juvenile book, and the length, which is MG. For over 70% of the book nothing that is not straight forward is happening (yes, she befriends the animals, build fire etc, but nothing really interesting to hold a smart reader is there). In addition, the reader (referred by ...more
There is a big gap between the writing style, which is almost so simple to fit only a really short juvenile book, and the length, which is MG. For over 70% of the book nothing that is not straight forward is happening (yes, she befriends the animals, build fire etc, but nothing really interesting to hold a smart reader is there). In addition, the reader (referred by ...more

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.
Tho ...more
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.
Tho ...more

Oct 11, 2016
Book Riot Community
added it
I don’t read a lot of books about robots or about the wilderness, but it’s hard to imagine that the two overlap very regularly. The odd concept and fantastic artwork is what had me picking up children’s book author Peter Brown’s first novel, but the beauty of the story full of loss, love, and humor is what stuck with me long after I put it down. Like most of the very best middle-grade books, The Wild Robot can connect with adults just as easily as children.
–Trisha Brown
from The Best Books We Rea ...more
–Trisha Brown
from The Best Books We Rea ...more

Sep 29, 2020
Debbie
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Debbie by:
Jennifer (one of my teacher colleagues)
A delightful adventure story about the interactions between nature and technology. It's a story about wonder, adaptation, family, friendship, change, acceptance and love.
Positives about this story:
1. the chapter lengths are very suitable for young readers (Grades 4-6) and listeners (K-3);
2. children living in my area would totally relate to the plants and animals featured;
3. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the robot was a female; and
4. the ending lends itself well to a sequel (which the ...more
Positives about this story:
1. the chapter lengths are very suitable for young readers (Grades 4-6) and listeners (K-3);
2. children living in my area would totally relate to the plants and animals featured;
3. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the robot was a female; and
4. the ending lends itself well to a sequel (which the ...more

I'm buddy reading this book with my 3rd grader but sometimes I also read out loud to my 17 months old daughter. This book was a great read. The start reminds me of the TV show Lost because it took place on an unknown island. All about nature and animals. I like the fox's troubles with the porcupine. I loved the illustrations within the story. The possum's playing dead was an interesting part. The garden process was humorous, though it's the natural way of making compost but to invite all of the
...more


Oh well, I knew I would like this book. Middle grade? Check. Talks about robots? Check. Has great illustrations created by the author? Check. I think if I had read this book when I was in the target age, it would have been a favourite. As an adult, I appreciated the story and the beautiful characters, although I must admit this was much less wholesome than I expected. There is a lot of talk about death in this book, which kinda put me off guard. This book has the same amount of death per chapte ...more

Update 3/18/18
I just read this book for the second time in preparation to read the sequel The Wild Robot Escapes tomorrow. I don't know if it's possible to love this book any more than I already did, but I'm thinking maybe I do. Or maybe I just fell in love with Roz all over again. I wish we could all have someone like Roz in our life. We would never be sad or lonely or feel unloved. Someone would always have our back and be there to support us through whatever life deals us. What a perfect worl ...more
I just read this book for the second time in preparation to read the sequel The Wild Robot Escapes tomorrow. I don't know if it's possible to love this book any more than I already did, but I'm thinking maybe I do. Or maybe I just fell in love with Roz all over again. I wish we could all have someone like Roz in our life. We would never be sad or lonely or feel unloved. Someone would always have our back and be there to support us through whatever life deals us. What a perfect worl ...more

This is a cute little story I came across coincidentally. It's the story of a robot. Hundreds of robots had been shipped and crashed due a storm until only one was left. This robot boots up on an island. It doesn't know anything about its origins and it is alone.

The island, where there aren't remains of the crashed robots, is lush and green. The animals of the island at first played with the robot remains (well, the otters did) until they found the one intact robot left. But once this robot has ...more

The island, where there aren't remains of the crashed robots, is lush and green. The animals of the island at first played with the robot remains (well, the otters did) until they found the one intact robot left. But once this robot has ...more

We love Peter Brown in my family. His 'Creepy Carrots' - he's the illustrator - remains a favorite even as the boys start to grow out of picture books. No, I say! I love picture books and I am decades older than the boys, so...
When my older grandson, age eleven, told me he owned this book and that I should read it, what could I do? I can read a book this size in a day - an afternoon - but I spread it out so I could deliciously enjoy it. And I did!
Roz the Robot is cast onto a small island during ...more
When my older grandson, age eleven, told me he owned this book and that I should read it, what could I do? I can read a book this size in a day - an afternoon - but I spread it out so I could deliciously enjoy it. And I did!
Roz the Robot is cast onto a small island during ...more

This was a read aloud with my 10 year old and we both loved this story. A cargo ship loses a crate of robots who wash up on the shore of an island, and one of them wakes up. Roz adapts to live in the wild with the animals on the island and thrives in her new surroundings. I loved the nature study aspect of the story - seeing how Roz studies the world around her and learns to speak with the animals.
My 10 year old says it was amazing and she is anxious to read the next book in the series.
My 10 year old says it was amazing and she is anxious to read the next book in the series.

Jan 06, 2017
Amber
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ebooks-library,
audiobooks
Roz is a robot who wakes up on an island. Determined to survive, Roz decides to befriend the animals of the island and learns from them how to survive. Will she succeed? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good audiobook. I enjoyed this robot story. If you like stories about survival and friendship, be sure to check this out for yourself. It is available at your local library and wherever books and audiobooks are sold.
This was a pretty good audiobook. I enjoyed this robot story. If you like stories about survival and friendship, be sure to check this out for yourself. It is available at your local library and wherever books and audiobooks are sold.

Be prepared to cry. I loved every minute of this book. It was creative and heartwarming and as realistic as you can get considering it's about a robot surviving in the wilderness. Also, there better be a sequel in the works or else someone is getting a nasty letter.
...more

I loved this book! One blurb I read said it was a cross between Wall-E and Hatchet, and I feel like that is a very accurate description. It was an adorable story about a robot who tries to fit in with the wild creatures on the island where she was shipwrecked, and she manages to make friends and family, and takes care of a lot of animals. I think it would be great for some older children, like maybe 9. There is a fair amount of peril in it and deaths of animals by natural causes such as rock sli
...more

This book will do for robots what Charlotte's Web did for pigs.
I loved, loved this book. Peter Brown maintains his perfect picture book voice but in an early chapter book... And this voice is maintained throughout. Many picture book authors attempt this, few succeed. (Parents: such a great read aloud!)
The Wild Robot is essentially a survival story--not quite as scary as The Hatchet, but it definitely doesn't shy away from basic facts of violence in nature (including humans). But what I love mos ...more
I loved, loved this book. Peter Brown maintains his perfect picture book voice but in an early chapter book... And this voice is maintained throughout. Many picture book authors attempt this, few succeed. (Parents: such a great read aloud!)
The Wild Robot is essentially a survival story--not quite as scary as The Hatchet, but it definitely doesn't shy away from basic facts of violence in nature (including humans). But what I love mos ...more

(Reviewed from an ARC that I received as part of a reader affiliate program.)
I was excited to start this book for several reasons:
1. It had received starred reviews
2. It was featured in one of Donalyn Miller's best-of-the-year so far lists
3. I am a HUGE fan of picture book authors who take their top-notch storytelling skills and cross over into middle grades fiction (hellloooo Mac Barnett)
However, this book frustrated me. I was intrigued by the premise (container ship filled with robots gets stu ...more
I was excited to start this book for several reasons:
1. It had received starred reviews
2. It was featured in one of Donalyn Miller's best-of-the-year so far lists
3. I am a HUGE fan of picture book authors who take their top-notch storytelling skills and cross over into middle grades fiction (hellloooo Mac Barnett)
However, this book frustrated me. I was intrigued by the premise (container ship filled with robots gets stu ...more

A middle grade book hasn't made me cry like this in a long time. Review to come - I have a lot of notes to sort out on this one.
...more


This book makes me wanna return to grad school so I can write all the papers on this book, which somehow manages to include every hot button topic in today's culture in this book (a sampling: motherhood, humanness, disability, climate change, civilization, gun violence) while making it extremely readable and only semi-heavy-handed at parts.
...more

4-4.25 stars
This book was a delightful surprise! I had heard a little about this book but my friend Miranda was so in love with this series I knew I had to read it when I could. Borrowing a physical copy from the library just wasn’t in the cards for me but the audiobook came up and I grabbed it. It was sweet seeing Roz finding her way in the island with its animals. The action scenes near the end took me by surprise and I freaking loved it! I could see why some readers could feels these scenes m ...more
This book was a delightful surprise! I had heard a little about this book but my friend Miranda was so in love with this series I knew I had to read it when I could. Borrowing a physical copy from the library just wasn’t in the cards for me but the audiobook came up and I grabbed it. It was sweet seeing Roz finding her way in the island with its animals. The action scenes near the end took me by surprise and I freaking loved it! I could see why some readers could feels these scenes m ...more

There’s such sweet whimsy in this novel. It was easy for me to suspend my disbelief and just let these characters and this setting take over. A really fun delight - if you know kiddos who like books that take place in the natural world/survival stories this is great.
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Peter Brown is an American writer and illustrator who is best known for children's picture books.
"Peter has always loved telling stories. Growing up in New Jersey, he told stories by drawing whimsical characters and scenes from his imagination. Then, as a teenager, he fell ...more
Peter Brown is an American writer and illustrator who is best known for children's picture books.
"Peter has always loved telling stories. Growing up in New Jersey, he told stories by drawing whimsical characters and scenes from his imagination. Then, as a teenager, he fell ...more
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“But I do not know how to act like a mother.” “Oh, it’s nothing, you just have to provide the gosling with food and water and shelter, make him feel loved but don’t pamper him too much, keep him away from danger, and make sure he learns to walk and talk and swim and fly and get along with others and look after himself. And that’s really all there is to motherhood!” The”
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“I'll tell you what: If I could do it all over again, I'd spend more time helping others. All I've ever done is dig tunnels. Some of them were real beauties too, but they're all hidden underground, where they're no good to anyone but me.”
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