The Wild Robot

Author & Illustrator: Peter Brown

(New York Times Bestseller)

Published: 2016

Synopsis

After a severe storm, a crate carrying the robot Roz is washed up on the shore of a distant island that is rife with unfriendly inhabitants. Once accidentally activated by a group of curious animals, Roz struggles to find her true identity in a place where everything and everyone is unfamiliar. After the local wildlife deem her a monster due to her other-worldly appearance, she works to claim her identity as a peacemaker and foster a vibrant, diverse community in a place she never thought she would.

Artwork and Features

There is no denying that The Wild Robot cover art is stunning. While I make my best efforts to not judge books by their covers, I was instantly drawn to the peaceful earth tones on this book jacket. I love how the same image is wrapped around both the front, back, and spine of the book, and the back is left with no print. There is something to be said for a back cover that is not littered with cheesy one-line reviews or a gimmicky synopsis. Students will likely be drawn to the adventurous feeling the artwork creates.

Chapters in this book are very short, usually reaching about two to four pages. This gives the book a brisk yet relaxed pace that makes the reader feel accomplished. Since the book itself is rather thick, I think the chapter length is important to note when building confidence and stamina in young readers. Students will feel like they are gaining traction in this reading as the chapters go by relatively quickly.

The final pages feature Chapter 1 of Peter Brown's next novel, titled The Wild Robot Escapes. I love this sneak peek because if students enjoyed reading this book, they have the opportunity to become invested in the next. As a teacher, it can be incredibly disappointing when a student loves a book but it is not part of a series. I love that Peter Brown invites students to continue loving his books by adding Chapter 1 of The Wild Robot Escapes at the end of this book.

Discuss the setting. Was the setting essential to the plot of the book? Does it add depth to the book?

The island in the story is described as lush, mountainous, and full of wildlife. The shores are rocky with densely forested areas and many hills. Home to a variety of creatures, both terrestrial and aquatic, the islanders create a large community with their own unique fears, hopes, and a fair share of problems to be solved.

Our story takes place on an island that is never named. With simplistic illustrations, no name and no geographic information on the location of the island, the audience is free to imagine the setting in virtually any way they wish. While that is beneficial in its own way, it also provides the readers with an opportunity to draw connections to their own life. In the absence of a specific, named setting, I believe readers can more easily place themselves in the storyline. The problems that Roz and other community animals face are not necessarily unique to the island setting. Across the world, people of all ages are struggling to fit into their communities, whether they are at a new school, job, or traveling in a foreign place. The feeling of being alienated and misunderstood is not a new concept, but it is made new by the combination of Roz and her island setting.

While the setting is essential to the storyline and development of the plot, it is not essential to the themes presented in The Wild Robot. The fact that the island is unnamed plays a huge role in the universalism of the messages presented throughout the chapters. In her article titled Story as World Making, Kathy G. Short states that "literature expands children's life spaces through inquiries that take them outside the boundaries of their lives to other places, times, and ways of living" (Short, 2012). What I love about this story is that the island does not need a name to expand a child's life spaces and be relevant to young readers. In fact, the lack of a name makes it more relevant to students because it shows that these issues are only associated with a certain location or kind of person, or in The Wild Robot's situation, a different form of life. A specific named location often paints a preconceived image in the reader's mind. When students read this book, they are not tied to the particular place or setting when Roz feels hurt after being called a monster at the community meeting. The reader is not trapped in a named location when Roz is devastated after accidentally killing a gaggle of geese. Instead, they feel emotion that can be translated to any other setting, with any person, at any time. That is what makes Peter Brown a best-selling author.

Which characters have agency? How do they develop and acquire that agency?

Even as a robot, Roz has had agency since her activation. She was always able to exert actions and display and act on her intentions and ideas, even if she did not realize it at the time. Her emotions often confuse her. She finds herself feeling "something like sadness" and other vague emotions that lacks the ability to describe until later in the story. She always possesses the ability to feel emotions and create ideas but does not fully take advantage of her agency until she began engaging with the islanders. Through her positive interactions with the local animals, Roz builds both a community and a self of sense. She finds immense purpose in caring for her son, Brightbill, whom she rescued as an egg after accidentally killing his family.

Brightbill provides Roz with a sense of belonging that enables her development of agency. The animals on the island view Roz as a monster, some sort of threat to the well-being of their status quo. However, despite her harsh metal exterior, Roz is a natural mother and passionate caregiver who simply wants the best for her child and island community. When the islanders see Roz caring for Brightbill, they understand her intentions and begin to offer help. When Roz shows the animals that fire is something that can be beautiful and helpful, she changes their perspective on what they once considered to be a solely destructive force. Roz's ability to see her personal need and craving for community and familiarity led her to create and sustain these relationships with the islanders, which demonstrates how her agency grew from something merely possessed to a skill she utilized.

"The Joy in Just-Right Books" (Sharp, 2018)

In his article in Literacy Today, fifth-grade teacher Colby Sharp describes the transformation of a student in his class named Travis. Like many students do, Travis identified as a non-reader. Reading was a challenge for him, which made the task feel more cumbersome than enjoyable. Instead of excitement, Mr. Sharp's classroom library of over 3,000 books filled Travis with dread and fear. In a room full of students who loved reading, Travis was isolated.

Travis was pulled out of the classroom regularly for intervention services with the school's reading specialist, Mrs. Morgan. Travis was no stranger to being pulled out of class for additional help, but this time was different. Mrs. Morgan placed Travis in just the right books at the just the right time, replacing his distaste of reading with a passion for stories page by page. Travis quickly found his place in the vibrant reading community of the school. He made friends by discussing comics and graphic novels like Lunch Lady. Together, Mrs. Morgan and Mr. Sharp enabled Travis to find "the joy in just-right books," which is an incredible gift that he will carry for life (Sharp, 2018).

The Wild Robot is the perfect book to place in the hands of students who feel isolated or are new to the school community. The overarching message of unity despite our differences is powerful for any young reader. Additionally, this book would be excellent as as a teacher read-aloud at the beginning of the school year. It sends the perfect message of self-discovery and community building that would be a beautiful start to the year.

Does it meet my characteristics of a good children's book?

Yes!

A storyline that follows a quick yet leisurely pace, keeping the reader's attention
Characters that challenge the reader and encourage us to reflect on what it means to be our best self
Beautiful illustrations or cover art that also leave something to the imagination
Stories that offer an image of a home, place in time, or circumstance that is different than our own

The pace of this book flows quickly enough for students to maintain interest while not becoming overwhelming. As the main character, Roz challenges the reader to consider the impact of building a purposeful, diverse community. Her evolution throughout the books shows the reader how life-giving it is to pour love into people (or in The Wild Robot's case, animals) and create a home in an unlikely place. The cover art and illustrations throughout the books are beautifully done without revealing too much. The simplistic illustrations allow the reader to create their own vision of the setting and characters. Lastly, Roz's home and circumstances are very different than my own. This book took me to a faraway place that also felt attainable, as if the same themes and issues faced by Roz and the islanders could be taking place in my own apartment.

Citations

Sharp, C. (2018). Readers Can Do Anything: Our Children's Literature Day Lunch Keynote on the Transformative Impact of a Good Book. Literacy Today, 35(6), pg 40–41.

Short, K. G. (2012). Story as World Making. Language Arts, 90(1), pg 9–17.