The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown - Book Report #257

I was happy to return to the warm world of The Wild Robot.

At the end of the last book, Roz was taken away to the factory where she was built to be studied and hopefully repaired.

But things do not go well for Roz and she escapes to try to return to her far-away island and her animal friends.  Because she has learned the language of animals she makes an interesting journey with the help of the new friends she meets along the way.

I was swept up, once again, by Peter Brown’s delightful prose and by his lovely artwork.  This is what books were like when I grew up and I do miss the blending of art and story in my readings as an adult.

Sure it’s a kid’s book but it is very intelligent and never talks down to the reader.  I was impressed by the author’s ability to challenge without intimidating a young reader.

This is the kind of book that you’ll want to purchase in paper-form.  It must be held to be enjoyed - and it must be shared.

Highly recommended.

Peter Brown's website - http://www.peterbrownstudio.com/

Peter Brown

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown - Book Report #247

Oh, what a warm and lovely story.

I stumbled across this title from a suggestion algorithm, I spotted the book cover at the bottom of my screen and clicked on it.

I've often mentioned how I wish novels came with some illustrations and I got my wish with this one.

Sure it's a kids book, aimed at the middle school years (grades 6 through 8) but don't let that deter you from reading it.  Honestly, it is well written and charming.  It is such a breath of fresh air.

The chapters are super small so I could dip in and out with ease but I kept finding myself reading "just one more chapter" often enough that I was swept up in it.

Roz the robot washes ashore having survived a stormy shipwreck.  A pack of otters inadvertently activate her and what comes next is a delightful story of a "monster" coming to terms with existence and deciding what her place in the world should be.

Because the book is aimed at pre and early teens the sentence structure is pretty basic but the story is complex and there is some real peril that younger kids would find upsetting.

Reading this as an adult, the plot is predictable.  But that's not where the joy lies; it's in the details and the charm of the writing.  I loved the illustrations, which were also done by Brown.  This book brought back the joy of reading to me.  More adult novels should be like this.

Highly recommended.

Peter Brown's website - http://www.peterbrownstudio.com/