A robot is any machine that can do tasks automatically, without being controlled by a human. Some robots can use their programming to make decisions and form strategies--and even learn and adapt to their surroundings!
Real-life scientists have actually released robots in the wild on purpose. Robot sharks have been sent out into the sea to study shark behavior without disturbing them, and robotic dogs have been let loose in New York City to sniff out toxins.
But Peter Brown’s novel The Wild Robot asks the question: what if a robot programmed to help humans ended up in the wilderness by mistake? And what if, to adapt, she truly went wild? These books are really about building a community, and finding out who you really are, where you belong and what you stand for.
While we get excited about the movie adaptation of The Wild Robot, let your imagination roam free with some more rowdy reads about robots and animals who are wild at heart.
Let the wild rumpus start!
The Eyes & the Impossible: Johannes laughs at the pet dogs he sees in the city park where he lives. He’s nobody’s pet! He even has a very important job: he is the Eyes, he watches everything that happens in the park, and reports to the other animals. But when things start changing, he might have to adapt to stay wild.
A Wolf Called Wander: Swift is a regular little wolf cub, growing and playing and learning to hunt with his family in the mountains. But when tragedy strikes, he’s left all alone to find a new home. On his journey he’ll have to survive threats like hunger, fire and other animals, including some of the most dangerous ones, humans. Based on the epic story of a real wolf!
Wildoak: Maggie is a girl whose stutter makes her feel like she doesn’t fit in with anyone, except her animal friends. Rumpus is a snow leopard who’s been abandoned in an English forest, an environment that’s totally unnatural to him. The connection they build, though, has the power to save them both.
A Rover's Story: Res is a robotic rover built to get around all kinds of obstacles, and make decisions about navigating and exploring the terrain on Mars. But when his programming starts to develop unexpected things like happiness, fear and courage, he must complete his mission and navigate his new feelings, too.
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