The Wild Robot (Volume 1) Paperback – September 3, 2024

The Wild Robot is a beautifully written and illustrated book that blends adventure, survival, and technology with heart. The story of Roz, a robot who unexpectedly finds herself stranded on an island, is touching and inspiring. As Roz learns to survive in the wild and connect with the animals, the book explores themes of identity, kindness, and what it means to belong. The illustrations are lovely and really bring the world to life. Perfect for young readers and adults alike, this is a book that makes you think about the intersection of nature and technology in a new light.

My preschooler and first grade homeschoolers are loving this read aloud! My first grader can read it independently, but we choose to read it as a family instead. It's very age appropriate and has a unique, imaginative storyline of a robot who becomes like a living animal when she is stranded on an island. I am charmed by the robots character as she wins over the forest and even adopts a gosling as her own! The chapters are very short, typically spanning 2 or 3 pages. There are just enough illustrations to occupy my preschooler too. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the rest of the series.

I've heard a lot about this book. And buzz can either be accurate or not. I'm thankful to report in this case, The Wild Robot was worth the read. This was such a cute little read, and now I'd like to see the movie to see if it's as good as they say!I picked this one up as part of my middle grade market research. Several booksellers said kids were eating this one up and they were flying off the shelves. After pulling it out and setting it on my nightstand, I figured I'd just see how many pages and chapters there were - give the book my standard once-over before I dive into it the next day. Lo and behold, I read the first chapter and then looked up and realized I was 50 pages in.Not only is the story engaging and the setting a fun mismash of nature and technology, but the short, focused chapters kept me turning pages. I think I read the book in three sittings - and honestly may have read it in one if I didn't really need to go to bed like an adult.This would be good for reluctant readers or bedtime stories for your kids. Each chapter is bite-sized and leaves you wanting more. There's a great sense of momentum as you read. And the illustrations are just as quaint as the story itself.I found myself incredibly invested in this little island of animals and delighted by a few twists and turns in the story, too. I am definitely really glad I read this one and now very curious about the second one. I would certainly recommend this one. It's a heartfelt, adventurous, quick and quirky little read. And its themes of understanding, compassion, survival, persistence, forgiveness, the cycle of nature, and service to others could foster some cool conversations with kiddos. This one's done right.Middle grade, so no swearing, no romance, a little bit of nature violence and a little bit of robot violence. I'd feel comfortable giving this to most kids. There are a few deaths as a natural part of the cycle of life, so if you have a kid very sensitive to that, it may be worth reading first to judge for yourself if your kid is ready for this (which should always be the default case anyway). But nothing here was near as traumatic as Charlotte's Web or Old Yellar, so I would consider it pretty mild personally.

This book is an amazing mix of adventure, emotion, and important life lessons. The story of Roz, the robot, is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. My child was completely hooked from the first chapter and couldn’t wait to see what happened next.It’s beautifully written and makes you reflect on nature, friendship, and what it means to be alive. A perfect read for kids and even adults who enjoy meaningful stories. Highly recommended!

Let me share about a book that truly touched my heart: "The Wild Robot"! I'd heard so many good things about it from other teachers. I started reading it to my second graders, and some of them had already seen the movie (we had a strict "no spoilers!" rule, obviously 😉), but we all went on this awesome adventure together. When summer started, before we could finish, I just had to read the rest on my own.My students were absolutely glued, hanging on every word as I read about Roz, this super special robot who adopts a baby goose and becomes part of this wild island animal family. This isn't just a kids' book; it has these quiet, powerful lessons packed inside that are just gold for young minds (and grown-ups too!). Through Roz, we discovered beautiful ideas about accepting everyone for who they are, looking out for others instead of just ourselves, being brave enough to offer help no matter how different someone might seem, and how incredibly strong the love within a family can be.My favorite part was seeing Roz grow. She started as just a machine, but slowly, beautifully, she became a robot with a warm, living "heart". And the pictures in the book? They're like magic windows into Roz's world! They go so perfectly with the story that my students were inspired to write their own stories and draw their own robots having an adventure.My new class starting in August is in for a real treat, because "The Wild Robot" is definitely going back on our read-aloud list. Honestly, whether you're cozying up at home or sharing stories in a busy classroom, this book is an absolute must-read. You'll just fall in love with it, I promise!