Loved this next instalment in the Wild Robot series! Roz is as lovable and heartwarming as always, and I loved that she got to meet her inventor towards the end of the book. The message again is huge and the author addresses it perfectly through his wonderful style of writing!

A great sequel to the original book. In this story, we learn more about Roz and where she comes from and the state of the world outside the island. It’s an interesting story with old and new characters and a lot of heart. If you enjoyed the first story, you should definitely read this next instalment.

This is a general review of all the series, a series I discovered and read in 2023.
That said I loved it as Roz is a lovely character, the setting and the world building are excellent, good storytelling.
It deals with serious topics like pollution and environment but it never gets too dark or turn into a dystopia.
Loved it and recommend to read this series because it's an excellent read.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I read this straight after The Wild Robot, although I did enjoy it I still found the writing ‘clunky’ and rather childlike. The storyline was enjoyable but lacked pace and depth.

Following on from where the first book left off, we see a newly refurbished Roz as she is put to work on a farm and she quickly builds a relationship with the children and animals there. I almost wished she would decide to stay because they really needed looking after but they all want her to escape to be reunited with Brightbill and that is where the adventure begins. Another lovely book that makes you think about what it is to be human.

My sons and I love reading the Wild Robot books. They are always such an adventure. We laughed together and cried together. Short chapters that held everyone’s attention. Enjoyed by my 7, 9, 10 and 11 year olds. Cannot wait to read them with my little girl too when she’s a bit bigger.

(slight spoilers for The Wild Robot in the first two paragraphs, spoilers for both in the third)

So this has got to be both the weirdest book I have ever read and the most fun I have had in a long time. It starts with a robot massacre with otters playing with a severed robot head complete with pictures. It goes on to see Roz adopt a gosling (after accidentally killing it's family) a fact that is never addressed even after he finds out he's adopted. Roz talks to animals, climbs up and down cliffs and builds a house for her and her adopted baby goose to live in. I thought this would a kind of cute story about a robot learning to adapt to an environment with no humans but instead it
was this strange, quite disturbing story of inter-species adoption and mass death.

I'm being way too harsh. It's really fun to joke about this book, but actually I think it would be great for a kid. I think they would love Roz and Brightbill and really engage with their adventures. I did wonder while reading it whether the death, both of the robots at the start and of various animals and robots throughout the book might be a bit much, so maybe read it before giving it to your kid. But really, it would be fun for a kid to read on their own or with an adult. Plus it's great fun for adults to read and laugh at, sorry, but I gave my friends and running commentary as I read it and enjoyed it immensely.

It was also very philosophical. It really looked deeply into what it would be like for a robot to learn how to live away from civilisation, how the AI would develop for self-preservation. The second book goes even deeper into the issue, showing Roz missing her family on her island and trying to get back there. Though it was a lot slower than the first book. It seemed really strange to me that Roz was being so slow at planning her escape. I definitely preferred the first book.

As I said, a great book for early readers or reading aloud with a child, fun to laugh about if you're an adult.

'The Wild Robot Escapes' is the middle-grade sequel to the 'The Wild Robot' both written and illustrated by New York Times bestselling children's author/illustrator Peter Brown. Both books received widespread acclaim, with the first winning and being nominated for many awards.

In the first book we met Roz who has many questions as she opens her eyes for the first time and finds herself on a remote desert island completely alone. But she isn't as alone as she thinks and she soon discovers that she can learn a lot from the island's animal inhabitants. Time passes and the once harsh island begins to feel like home to Roz but then her past comes back to haunt her.

'The Wild Robot Escapes' follows on from where the last book left off - Roz has been captured and refurbished ready to be put to work on Hilltop Farm for the Shreef family. Typical of Roz, she befriends all of the animals on the dairy farm, not to mention the farmer's children with her outgoing personality. However, she longs to be reunited with her goose son, Brightbill. as well as the other animals from the island, and plans to escape. She is helped by a number of sympathisers but eventually is detained by the robot police and returned to the factory where she is reprogrammed to rid her of her personality which is deemed a malfunction. Will Roz manage to escape before they reprogramme her? Or will she be destined to serve humans for the rest of her days?

The simplicity of the writing is a standout feature here, but Brown manages to include many situations that will have children asking questions - where do I belong? what is my purpose in life? Where is home? Just like the first book, this is an utterly charming and beautiful story, and Roz is a magical character with a special personality. A delightful little tale that exposes children to deeper topics, such as what it means to be human, man vs technology, identity/being yourself, kindness, empathy, loss, love, environment, loyalty, and sacrifice. Another work of brilliance from Brown that is wonderfully quirky, unique and fun. The chapters are short and many pages are illustrated, keeping children engaged and interested in the plot. Kids will love this heartwarming sequel as much as the first!

Many thanks to Piccadilly Press for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.