The Wild Robot

 Book by Peter Brown.


This was a charming story of a robot who is shipwrecked on an island and over time becomes a part of the natural community there. Life on the island could be seen as a metaphor for mortal life. Mortality is hard on everyone; we are bound to get dings and dents and dirtied. But we are also meant to learn and grow and change. And our purpose is to help people.

Short chapters would make this a great read aloud for ages 8+. It does have a cliffhanger ending, so have book #2 (“The Wild Robot Escapes”) ready.

The Wild Robot Escapes is just as charming as the first, and it has a very satisfying ending with closure as a duology.

NOTE: The 3rd installment in the series (“The Wild Robot Protects”) wasn’t terrible; it just felt completely unnecessary. Book 2 has a very satisfying ending and that is where I would recommend readers stop. This book’s plot was boring and felt more preachy even though it’s difficult to say exactly what the message was. Humans are bad, nature is good? Protect the environment? Resolving problems peacefully doesn’t work, so violent protests are necessary? There were a few pro-parenthood moments that were lovely. There was also a random chapter in the middle of the book where Roz is asked her gender and is introduced to a gobi fish who has changed genders (which had nothing to do with the plot and the gobi fish is never mentioned again, so it seemed to be included just to check a box).


For additional friendly robots, watch the movies “Castle in the Sky” and “The Iron Giant”.

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