BookBait: Wild Robot

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Reviewed by Liesl Toates

When a ship wrecks off the coast of an island during a hurricane, a crate washes up on shore. In that crate, is a robot designed to do housework and whatever else the owner of the robot wants it to do. Since the robot needs to be able to be trained to do things that the factory may not have thought of, the robot is a learning robot. Once it escapes the crate, the robot learns how to survive in its surroundings. As the book progresses the robot forms emotional bonds with some of the animals on the island. As this happens, the reader begins to form an emotional attachment to the wild robot, which makes the reader begin to wonder about emotions, feelings and the nature of life. What exactly is it that makes us human?

The Wild Robot is a middle grade book that is fun and easy to read. Also check out The Wild Robot Escapes, the sequel to this book.