The Wild Robot

The Wild Robot
Peter Brown
Reading Level R

I have to admit, when everyone at the Teachers College Writing Institute this past summer was snapping up this book before Peter Brown's keynote speech, I had no idea about The Wild Robot. After hearing Brown speak about how he conceived, wrote and illustrated the book, I was intrigued.  The story of Roz the robot who is stranded on an island and needs to discover how to survive was a fun read. The idea of a robot who needs to become wild in order to survive was a completely different twist on the very old Robinson Crusoe story. Even though Roz relies on her technology to learn animal language and navigate the island, the crux of the story relies on her relationships with animals and in particular Brightbill. It is the relationship piece that makes The Wild Robot such a feel good read.

When I think about a connection to Winnetka, I thought about Lake Michigan and how quickly the beach turns into a forest. It made me visualize Roz's landing site and what it would take to scale a cliff to safety. I found it interesting that Peter Brown was inspired by the Highline in New York. A place where technology (the train line) was reclaimed by the wild. It is a cautionary tale that we always remember that we can't conquer nature and that we need to come and adapt to it.