Peter Brown is best known for his picture books, including the sublime Mr Tiger Goes Wild and My Teacher is a Monster. The Wild Robot is his first book for older children and tells the story of a robot who is shipwrecked on an island, and creates a life for herself there. Finding herself on the remote island, Roz quickly realizes that she’ll have to learn survival skills from the island’s wild inhabitants then, inadvertently destroying a nest of goose eggs, ends up the adoptive mother to a gosling too and responsible for bringing him up. Though Roz doesn’t feel emotions, she has been designed to do the best job possible, and bringing up her adopted son calls for all sorts of adaptations. Beautifully written and beautifully illustrated, the story is sure to inspire all readers with affection for robot Roz, and also to set them thinking about what it means to be human.
Runaway Robot by Frank Cotterell-Boyce is another wonderful robot adventure that poses its own set of AI questions.
This #1 New York Times bestselling illustrated middle grade novel from a Caldecott Honor winner tells an extraordinary story full of action and thought-provoking questions as a robot learns to survive-and live-in the wilderness.
Can a robot survive in the wilderness?
When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all 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 violent 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.