★ 01/18/2016
Brown’s middle-grade debut, an uplifting story about an unexpected visitor whose arrival disrupts the animal inhabitants of a rocky island, has a contemporary twist: the main character is a robot. A hurricane deposits Roz (short for ROZZUM unit 7134) on the island, where she is accidentally activated by a group of sea otters, who are terrified by the shiny monster awakening before their eyes. At first, Roz struggles to survive in an environment where she is treated as a frightening intruder, but after she adopts an abandoned gosling, she slowly becomes part of the island community, learning animal language and taking on motherhood and a leadership role. Brown (Mr. Tiger Goes Wild) convincingly builds a growing sense of cooperation among the animals and Roz as she blossoms in the wild. The allegory of otherness is clear but never heavy-handed, and Roz has just enough human attributes to make her sympathetic while retaining her robot characteristics. Brown wisely eschews a happy ending in favor of an open-ended one that supports the tone of a story that’s simultaneously unsentimental and saturated with feeling. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary Management. (Apr.)
12/01/2016
Gr 3–7—Though Roz, a robot, is initially viewed with suspicion when she finds herself on an isolated island, she soon becomes part of the natural order, parenting an orphaned gosling and providing shelter for the animals. But is there really a place for her within this ecosystem? Interspersed with charming black-and-white illustrations, this sweetly quirky fish-out-of-water tale will have readers contemplating questions about life, death, consciousness, and artificial intelligence.
★ 2016-01-20
A sophisticated robot—with the capacity to use senses of sight, hearing, and smell—is washed to shore on an island, the only robot survivor of a cargo of 500. When otters play with her protective packaging, the robot is accidently activated. Roz, though without emotions, is intelligent and versatile. She can observe and learn in service of both her survival and her principle function: to help. Brown links these basic functions to the kind of evolution Roz undergoes as she figures out how to stay dry and intact in her wild environment—not easy, with pine cones and poop dropping from above, stormy weather, and a family of cranky bears. She learns to understand and eventually speak the language of the wild creatures (each species with its different "accent"). An accident leaves her the sole protector of a baby goose, and Roz must ask other creatures for help to shelter and feed the gosling. Roz's growing connection with her environment is sweetly funny, reminiscent of Randall Jarrell's The Animal Family. At every moment Roz's actions seem plausible and logical yet surprisingly full of something like feeling. Robot hunters with guns figure into the climax of the story as the outside world intrudes. While the end to Roz's benign and wild life is startling and violent, Brown leaves Roz and her companions—and readers—with hope. Thought-provoking and charming. (Science fiction/fantasy. 7-11)
Praise for The Wild Robot:
A New York Times Bestseller
An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of the Year
An Amazon Best Book of the Year Top Pick
An IndieBound Bestseller
ALA Notable Book for Children
New York Public Library Best Books for Kids Pick
Kirkus Best Children's of the Year Pick
School Library Journal Best of the Year Pick
Bank Street College of Education 2017 Best Children's Book of the Year
2018 Sunshine State Young Readers Award List Pick
"Brown has written a lively tale that is sure to engage young readers."—The New York Times
"Roz may not feel emotions, but young readers certainly will as this tender, captivating tale unfolds."—The Washington Post
* "[Peter] Brown's picture books are consistent bestsellers and critically acclaimed. Expect readers to go wild for his robot-themed novel."—Booklist, starred review
* "While the end to Roz's benign and wildlife is startling and violent, Brown leaves Roz and her companions—and readers—with hope. Thought-provoking and charming."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "This strong debut middle grade novel by the acclaimed picture book author/illustrator is a first purchase for most middle grade collections."—School Library Journal, starred review
* "Brown's middle-grade debut, an uplifting story about an unexpected visitor whose arrival disrupts the animal inhabitants of a rocky island, has a contemporary twist...Brown wisely eschews a happy ending in favor of an open-ended one that supports the tone of a story that's simultaneously unsentimental and saturated with feeling."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Roz is not easy to forget."—The Horn Book
Amid sounds of crashing waves, seagulls, and otherworldly music, we meet Roz, a robot who floats ashore in working condition after her cargo ship sinks. "Hello. My name is Roz," she announces to each creature she meets. Narrator Kate Atwater maintains Roz's robotic voice throughout the book, but as Roz slowly earns membership in the island's animal community and "learns" their values, her machinelike voice gains warmth and friendliness. Atwater also provides fitting and distinctive character voices for each of the island’s delightfully named inhabitants, who include ChitChat the squirrel, TrunkTap the woodpecker, and BrightBill—Roz’s unlikely son. Even though the book has no humans, the listener will, nevertheless, ponder the nature of humans, the implications of artificial intelligence, and the meaning of being wild. L.T. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
