The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Imagine Wall-E meets Hatchet, and you’ll have a sense of the magic waiting inside these pages. This New York Times bestselling illustrated middle grade novel comes from Caldecott Honor winner Peter Brown, and it’s the kind of story that asks a deceptively simple question: Can a robot survive in the wilderness?

When robot Roz opens her eyes for the very first time, she discovers she’s all alone on a remote, wild island. She doesn’t know how she got there. She doesn’t know her purpose. She only knows she needs to survive.

After weathering a violent storm and narrowly escaping a bear attack, Roz realizes that adapting to her surroundings—and learning from the island’s wary animal inhabitants—is her only hope. Slowly, gently, the island begins to feel like home. Until, one day, the secrets of Roz’s mysterious past come back to haunt her.

This is a heartwarming, action-packed adventure about what happens when nature and technology collide. Peter Brown’s tender illustrations are scattered throughout, making it just as wonderful to hold as it is to read. Perfect for curious readers ages 8 to 12, and lovely to share aloud on a rainy afternoon.

We can’t recommend this one enough. It’s become a quiet favorite around the shop—the sort of book that sparks big conversations about kindness, belonging, and what it really means to be alive.

Pull up a chair, listen to the sea air rustle through Perkins Cove, and let Roz’s story sweep you away. A genuine modern classic, waiting on our shelf for you.

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