Peter Brown rebooted ‘The Wild Robot’ for the preschool set. His underlying message remains
Occasionally, a children’s book captivates all ages, striking a chord with everyone from parents buying it for their kids to the readers themselves. Remarkably, these stories not explicitly aimed at adults can still evoke strong emotions in them. Peter Brown’s “The Wild Robot” is an excellent example of such a book that manages to resonate universally.
The heartwarming tale of a robot stranded on an isolated island, assimilating into its community, is the 2016 middle-grade novel “The Wild Robot” from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. This book has led to two subsequent sequels and a successful (and Academy Award-nominated) animated adaptation by DreamWorks Animation in 2020. Worldwide sales of the series have surpassed 6.5 million copies. Now, author Peter Brown has produced a picture book spinoff titled “The Wild Robot on the Island,” making it accessible for younger readers who haven’t yet read the original story.
Speaking from his home in Maine where he lives with his wife and child, Brown expresses how this fresh book offers him the opportunity to craft large, vibrant, intricate images while preserving the emotional essence of the story. He’s included some small, additional scenes not found in the original novel to help younger readers get acquainted, and when they’re ready, they can transition to reading the actual novel.
The new book employs a style heavy on images with occasional text, which mirrors Brown’s early work that crafted enchanting fables about our complex feelings towards nature for young children. In “The Curious Garden” (2009), a boy discovers a wild patch of flowers and grass along an abandoned railway and transforms it into a garden. Similarly, in “Mr. Tiger Goes Wild” (2013), Mr. Tiger yearns to break free from the constraints of a world where animals are no longer free-roaming. Throughout his career, Brown has grappled with themes of wildness versus tamed life and this struggle is what inspired his work on the robot.
Brown, originally from New Jersey and an alumnus of Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design, pondered on the concept of nature in unusual settings, along with the connections between natural and man-made elements. This thought process inspired him to envision a robot perched in a tree. He initially sketched a solitary image of a robot standing on a towering pine branch, only to set it aside as he worked on other projects. However, this particular image continued to intrigue him: “Every now and then, I found myself thinking about that robot again.
Initially, Brown delved into studying robots and their mechanics. Over time, an idea started to develop in his mind about the narrative. “Concepts started to surface,” Brown explains. “Primarily, the notion of this robot becoming more untamed and organic than a human could be. This concept captivated me so much that I wanted to give it room to grow and observe where it would lead me.
Originally, Brown thought the story he’d conceived wouldn’t translate well into a picture book; instead, he felt compelled to write it as a novel, venturing into uncharted waters for him. “When I presented the concept to my editor,” Brown recounts, “she essentially told me to slow down.” If he was going to write, Brown was informed, he would have to incorporate illustrations too. The publishing house found this somewhat daring, as they were eager for images to help sell it, considering Brown’s past work.
In a remote part of Maine, Brown chose solitude in a cabin without internet access, and immersed himself fully in his work. “I felt apprehensive, and my editor shared the same doubts,” admits Brown, who acknowledges Kurt Vonnegut as a literary inspiration. “Ultimately, I recognized that there was no alternative but for me to proceed. And once I got started, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Similar to many captivating parables, Brown’s tale appears uncomplicated at first glance. A vessel carrying robots sinks in the vast ocean, and some of these mechanical beings are carried ashore on an isolated island by the waves. A family of otters accidentally opens a box that contains Roz, Brown’s wild robot. As Roz navigates this mysterious new environment, she crosses paths with hostile bears, chatty squirrels, and industrious beavers who view her as a menacing presence. However, the robot’s bewilderment and the animals’ aggression gradually transform into mutual comprehension. Roz serves as the reader’s surrogate, an innocent adapting to the intricate patterns of the natural world. Over time, she becomes fully integrated into this alien realm, evolving into a creature of nature who allows birds to perch on her chromium shoulder.
As a supporter, I’d rephrase it as: “Roz, being designed to learn, wasn’t anticipated by her makers to learn in this specific manner. However, she employs this learning capacity to imitate animal behaviors and develop a means of communication with them. Roz serves as a testament to the importance of learning, an essence that involves adaptability, change, and growth.
Review
Exquisite ‘The Wild Robot’ uses machines and animals to tell a human story
Showcasing captivating vocal deliveries by Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, along with an ensemble of seasoned voice actors, Chris Sanders’ heartwarming tale edges toward the sublime.
Featuring mesmerizing vocal performances from Lupita Nyong’o and Pedro Pascal, as well as a talented group of animation veterans, Chris Sanders’ heartfelt adventure is nearly transcendent.
Life on the island isn’t always a perfect tale; there are dangerous predators and survival requires eating other animals. However, as Brown points out, ‘Things can get tricky, life is complicated, right?’ Yet, through Roz’s guidance, all the creatures come to understand their role in this complex web of interconnected relationships.
In this tale by Brown titled “The Wild Robot,” Roz, a man-made machine, becomes a mother to an abandoned gosling named Brightbill. As she nurtures her young charge, Roz’s feelings of compassion and love grow stronger, forming the emotional heart of the series. Amidst debates about the role of robotic technology in our daily lives, Brown presents a thought-provoking question: Could we create machines that embody kindness and empathy? This story serves as a gentle reminder of our own humanity, underscoring our ability to love deeply and care for others. While marketed as a children’s book, “The Wild Robot” is more than just entertainment—it offers profound insights into the current tech-anxious era, cleverly disguised within its pages.
According to Brown, technology can be both beneficial and harmful. While it certainly brings about a lot of positive changes, when misused, it can pose risks. He refers to Jonathan Haidt’s popular book “The Anxious Generation,” suggesting limiting internet usage among children, an idea that Brown supports. In his view, we should focus on nurturing our own humanity and ensuring that progress is headed in the right direction.
In the sequels, Roz’s peaceful existence is disrupted by the encroachment of the outside world. “The Escape of the Wild Robot” depicts Roz dealing with the perils of city life and humans armed with guns. On the other hand, a harmful tide in “The Protector of the Wild Robot” forces the animals to fight over increasingly scarce resources. However, Brown avoids being preachy or melodramatic in her approach. These “Wild Robot” stories, like all excellent adventure narratives, portray the untamed world in its full glory without shying away from its challenges.
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The journey to an exceptional tale begins right here, where you’ll find genres ranging from captivating picture books to engaging Young Adult literature. Here, you’ll meet familiar faces such as Reese Witherspoon and Trevor Noah, but also discover lesser-known authors with their own compelling stories to share.
Brown, author of the ‘Wild Robot’ series, shares in his books that the world isn’t always as simple as it seems, and people labeled ‘bad’ may not truly be so. He explains, ‘Every seemingly harmful act has a complex backstory.’ He believes children are capable of understanding this complexity and are eager to learn about the truth and the challenging aspects of life.
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2025-06-11 13:31