Author: Peter Brown
Illustrator: Peter Brown
© Date: 2016
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Pages: 269
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: Yes, many of the page layouts have an illustration
Publisher Recommended Age: 8-12 years
Bonus Activities at End of Book: No
Summary from Book: Can a robot survive in the wilderness?
When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is 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 fierce 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.
Note: This review is done from memory. I originally read this awhile ago.
Page Pig Thoughts: An enjoyable read. Although my lack of looking at any information before I started reading meant that I was a little unprepared for some of the bigger topics that play out – animals dying, guns, fending off robots. This story is an emotional experience, parts are heartwarming, joyful, funny, sad, scary, and everything in between. I could also see this story sparking many conversations about the big themes of nature, technology, adaptability, families, and colonization feel (RECO robots attacking the native wild animals). The simple style illustrations really added an extra level to the story. This one is enjoyable and has lots of substance.
Use caution with animal lovers: the different animals and their personalities make the story appealing for an animal lover, but not all animal lovers may be prepared for the dying animals.
Use caution with younger and sensitive readers: big themes play out and not all will be ready for the death or family separations.
Family Unit: Roz the robot is an adoptive mother to Brightbill the gosling
Conflict/Social Issues:
- The animals are initially wary of Roz the robot
- The animals of the island do have to survive, which means that some are predators and some are prey
- The RECO robots come looking for Roz to take her back to her makers
Positive Items:
- Roz is able to learn about animals, their habits, and their language. This makes her able to fit into wild animal society and able to help out her neighbors.
- Brightbill and Roz are able to navigate their family being different and survive even when unkind comments are made from younger goslings.
- The wild animals show what devoted friends they are as they take on the RECO robots to help Roz stay on the island.
Items of Interest:
- As Roz is exploring the island and soaking in information, she accidentally causes some rocks to slide down a cliff. The rocks smash a nest of eggs, the mother goose, and the father goose. One egg is left in the nest. Roz rescues the egg, then learns how to hatch it and raise the goose.
- The other animals see Roz taking care of the egg/gosling and help her build a shelter and a garden. Roz starts making friends as she finds ways to help her animal neighbors.
- Two young bear cubs, Nettle and Thorn, attack Roz. In the scuffle, Roz loses a foot. Thorn winds up going over a cliff, which makes Mother Bear wail in grief. Roz is able to rescue Thorn. Then Thorn apologizes for Roz’s foot. Mother Bear carries Roz home on her back.
- Mr. Beaver works with Roz to build a new foot. Several attempts were made before one actually stayed on and functioned well.
- Brightbill leaves for the winter grounds with the other geese. Since Roz does not fly, she stays behind on the island.
- The harsh winter weather turns the flock of geese around. They were taking a rest on a farm. One day the farmer realizes that the geese are there and gets really upset. The lead goose tries to defend the flock by making lots of noise and flapping out his wings. The farmer shoots the lead goose. The other geese scatter and have to find their own way. Brightbill winds up leading them.
- The winter is harsh, so some of the animals freeze to death. Roz builds lodges to help keep animals warm.
- A fire gets out of control in one of the winter lodge shelters. Roz makes a harrowing rescue of a young hare that was stuck inside.
- RECO robots fly to the island and tell Roz that she needs to go back with them. She is not allowed to ask any questions. The RECO robots are taking her back to the factory where she came from and they will reset/reprogram her. Brightbill tells the other wild animals that Roz needs their help.
- The wild animals divide into groups to take down the three RECO robots. The RECO robots have guns. One robot shoots at and injures Mother Bear; she is then further injured by an avalanche of rocks. The animals take the gun from one of the robots.
- Roz battles a RECO robot. She winds up losing her limbs. The RECO robot turned off Roz. Brightbill thinks that his mother is lifeless, so is relieved when he flips her switch and she comes back to life as herself. The last RECO robot then grabs Brightbill and was about to crush the life out of him. The other animals shoot the RECO robot with the gun they took from the other RECO robot. The animals know how to use the gun because the geese had seen one used. Before it loses life, the last RECO robot tells Roz that there will be more and more RECO robots coming for her.
- The animals try to put limbs back on Roz, but they do not stay attached.
- Roz decides to go back to her Makers. She does not want any more animals endangered by her presence on the island. She says that she will be repaired, get some answers, and do everything that she can to return to her island home.
Other Books in Series (At Time of Posting):
- Book 2 – The Wild Robot Escapes
- Book 3 – The Wild Robot Protects