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54 pages 1 hour read

Peter Brown

The Wild Robot Protects

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2023

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Chapters 1-20Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 1 Summary: “The Sky”

Brightbill the goose leads his flock of geese back to their home island after their winter migration. As they fly, they see container ships transporting cargo across the ocean below them. When they land on the familiar island, Brightbill uses “the language of the animals” (4) to call his mother, Roz, the robot.

Chapter 2 Summary: “The Reunion”

Brightbill catches up with his mother and all his animal friends, including Chitchat, the squirrel who is now a mother. A seagull named Gale calls for help, and they know something is wrong if a gull has come this far inland.

Chapter 3 Summary: “The Seal”

All the island animals congregate on the beach around a sick seal whose eyes are closed and his nose is bleeding. The seal says, “The poison tide is coming!” (9) and explains that it became caught in polluted water while hunting, forcing it to swim back out into the open water for safety. The seal is too sick to say more, so Roz helps it back into the water, where it swims underwater and out of sight.

Chapter 4 Summary: “The Nervous Animals”

The animals meet for their daily meeting, the “Dawn Truce,” and everyone is concerned about the poison tide. Each animal expresses their thoughts on the matter, including Fink, who thinks land animals shouldn’t be concerned about what’s happening in the ocean. The bears, Nettle and Thorn, want assurance of their safety. When they begin arguing, Roz says she isn’t worried about the poison tide because the ocean is so large that it likely can’t reach them.

Chapter 5 Summary: “The Talk”

Roz’s new body, which Dr. Molovo gave her, is strong, and she quickly climbs to her and her son’s favorite spot on the island. Brightbill tells Roz that he has met a mate named Glimmerwing, or “Glimmer,” whose parents died during their migration. Brightbill brings Glimmer to meet Roz.

Chapter 6 Summary: “The Mate”

Roz cleans her home, which she calls “the Nest,” in preparation for Glimmer’s visit. She assumes Glimmer and Brightbill will live with her, but they want their own home. When Roz offers to help them build a nest, Brightbill says they want to do it themselves.

Chapter 7 Summary: “The Passing Flocks”

When Brightbill and Glimmer notice that flocks of various types of birds pass by the island, instead of stopping to rest there like usual, they fly out to investigate. They soon learn that what the seal says is accurate and that the poison tide is coming. Roz apologizes to the angry animals for dismissing the threat and explains her plan to help all the animals escape danger. The ducks tell Brightbill there is an “Ancient Shark” (21) who lives in the north and can help them.

Chapter 8 Summary: “The Evacuation”

The geese help spread the word to all the coastal creatures to evacuate. Many other animals arrive to help, but long after they get tired, Roz continues working to ensure everyone is safe.

Chapter 9 Summary: “The Poison Tide”

The vulture perched high on the island mountain is the first to see the poison tide arrive and announces it to all the other animals. Roz is still working to save every creature, including the sea stars. Although she is programmed with “Survival Instincts” (25), which tell her she must evacuate the water immediately, when she sees a stranded otter pup, she ignores her instincts. She saves the pup just as the tide washes in and surrounds the island.

Chapter 10 Summary: “The Changes”

The poison tide first affects sea kelp. Still, its disastrous effects soon spread throughout the island, disrupting the delicate ecological balance of every plant, animal, and insect. Shortages of space and food anger the animals, and the Dawn Truce stops meeting.

Chapter 11 Summary: “The Flight”

Roz searches her database for answers and learns that many factors can cause a poison tide, such as algae, volcanic ash, and pollution. Roz volunteers to inspect the water up close, but Brightbill and Glimmer fear for her safety. Instead, they fly above the harmful waters and return four days later with a report. Brightbill says that the poison tide doesn’t cover all the water: “It’s more like a huge river flowing through the ocean, twisting and turning and spreading wider as it goes” (31). Glimmer wants to find the Ancient Shark, who reportedly knows how to help.

Chapter 12 Summary: “The Water”

The island’s freshwater supply begins to run low, and all the animals drink from the river. Roz calls a meeting to share her plan to conserve water, but all the animal leaders begin arguing, and Brightbill must shout to demand order. Roz’s plan involves each animal working to build dams, dig cisterns, and deepen the ponds to catch and capture as much rainwater as possible. The animals get to work, but Roz still worries that their efforts might not be enough with summer approaching.

Chapter 13 Summary: “The Blaze”

Since the poison tide kills much of the island vegetation, lightning strikes ignite a fire that quickly engulfs the island when a storm arrives. The animals are powerless to intervene and watch as their homes burn. Rain finally comes to quench the blaze.

Chapter 14 Summary: “The Flock”

Brightbill instructs the flock of geese to evacuate the island. However, Brightbill plans to stay and help Roz and the other island animals he considers his family. Glimmer and many other geese pledge to remain with their mate. Finefeather leads the evacuating flock to a new home on the mainland.

Chapter 15 Summary: “The Flyaways”

Soon, many other birds, including Gale, leave the island. “Only the most determined birds stayed” (43), including Brightbill’s flock and Swooper.

Chapter 16 Summary: “The Plunge”

The otters have nowhere to swim and begin using Mr. Beaver’s pond as their swimming hole. The Beaver’s son, Paddler, enjoys having the playful otters around, and Mrs. Beaver enjoys seeing the displaced creatures having fun. However, their presence angers Mr. Beaver, and he angrily slaps his tail on the water to scare them away. The sound startles Roz, who is watching nearby, and she falls into the pond, which is much deeper since they dredged it to catch more rainwater. Remembering the last time Roz went into deep water to save him, Brightbill calls out, “My mother can’t survive in deep water!” (47). However, Roz emerges from the water covered in mud unharmed.

Chapter 17 Summary: “The Robotic Body”

The other animals listen intently as Roz explains what happened when she sank to the bottom of the pond. Imitating a frog, Roz used her legs to kick to the surface. Though her mind is the same, Roz’s new body is waterproof.

Chapter 18 Summary: “The Experiment”

In the middle of the night, Brightbill finds Roz near the shore amidst all the destruction from the poisoned tide and the fire. Discovering that she is waterproof makes Roz wonder if she is safe from the toxic water. After testing with one foot and then the other, Roz submerges her entire body while Brightbill anxiously watches. When Roz emerges from the water, she proclaims it hasn’t harmed her, but she won’t let Brightbill hug her until she washes away the poisoned water.

Chapter 19 Summary: “The Decision”

After ignoring her Survival Instincts to test the poison water, Roz’s programming no longer alerts her to the threat. She uses the pond to practice different swimming techniques. The following day, she tells Brightbill and Glimmer that she will leave to seek the Ancient Shark’s help resolving the poisoned tide. Brightbill wants to go with her, but Glimmer reminds him that he must stay behind to be a leader on the island in Roz’s absence.

Chapter 20 Summary: “The Good-Bye”

After observing the water from above, Brightbill and Roz determine that it clears toward the west. Brightbill reminds Roz to stay submerged to avoid danger from boats and airships, but Roz reminds him that she can survive. All the animals gather for Roz’s sendoff except Glimmer, who must stay home to sit on her eggs. Learning that Brightbill will be a parent thrills Roz and motivates her even more to save the island from the poison tide.

Chapters 1-20 Analysis

The Wild Robot Protects is the third book in the series, and Roz’s development over the entire Wild Robot series is an important backstory that affects her sense of self and how she approaches the adventure she embarks on in this third installment. The first book in the series traced Roz’s journey to adapting to island life and making it her home. The second installment followed Roz as she fought to return to her house and family. As a mysterious poison tide threatens the health of her island and all its inhabitants, this book explores how Roz will defend her home. Roz, having found home, lost home, and finally returned home, sees the necessity in protecting her island from harm to prevent any further loss and distress.

With Roz safely back on her wild island and her reunion with Brightbill, the novel’s opening chapters establish The Importance of Home, Friendship, and Community. Brightbill’s return reunites mother and son but also reveals that their family is growing as Brightbill introduces his mate, Glimmer. In line with this theme, the novel also begins an exploration of the changing family dynamics as children grow and mature. Brightbill has literally “left the nest” and turns down Roz’s offer for him and Glimmer to live with her, symbolizing the pivotal moment in a parent’s life when their children leave home and start their life. The island is home to Roz’s family and many other animals who live and work together in harmony. The Dawn Truce, for example, exemplifies Roz’s leadership style and the island inhabitants’ commitment to peaceful, communal living. Disrupting this peace, the sick seal washes up on shore, dying from the poison tide. This is a portentous sign of impending danger, and Roz must make decisions quickly to address the threat and fears of the island animals. In another display of the novel’s exploration of the value of home, the ailing seal only asks for one thing: to be returned to his home in the ocean even though the water is killing it. The animals and Roz oblige, understanding the devastating reality the seal faces in being harmed in its own safe place and refuge.

The appearance of the poison tide disrupts the harmony of the idyllic island and, with its disastrous ripple effects, underscores the necessity of Protecting the Environment. The pollution cloud poisons the water and stresses the aquatic and land ecosystems. Fleeing creatures seek cover in other places, crowding out other organisms and creating water and food shortages. For Roz’s island, the fear and anxiety of an uncertain future are just as damaging as the animals’ panic, arguments, and divisions in their community form. The animals’ differing reactions also exemplify common reactions amongst humans when discussing environmental concerns. Overall, the animals are too short-sighted to see the more significant impact of the tragedy. Their primary concern is protecting themselves, and Roz must act quickly to quell their fears and protect the island as much as possible. Roz, unlike the animals, has a broader perspective and can see past self-preservation because of her intelligence capabilities. Roz wants her home to be safe, but she also wants to stop the problem at large for the greater good.

Roz’s many technological aspects are further explored in this installment of the series. The presence of a robot on a wild, uninhabited island is counterintuitive. However, Roz embodies The Intersection Between Technology and the Natural World as she has completely adapted to living in nature yet still retains her high-tech programming. Roz speaks the animal language, yet she uses her intelligence to research potential causes for the poison tide and methods for protecting the island from damage. When they begin evacuating the sea creatures and prepping the island, Roz’s strength and limitless energy allow her to go on working long after the other animals reach exhaustion. However, the novel also presents creatures who aren’t robots yet exhibit “programming,” just like Roz. For example, Brightbill and his fellow geese migrate south each winter, an instinct programmed within them to leave and return seasonally. Both Roz and her island animal friends offer the opportunity to explore the blurred boundary between natural creatures and artificial creations.

The arrival of the poison tide also allows Roz to realize her body’s new features since Dr. Molovo rebuilt her in book two. Being waterproof multiplies her unique abilities and opens new possibilities for Roz to intervene against the poison tide and save the island. Programmed with “Survival Instincts” like her animal friends, Roz has limits like many creatures in the natural world, but her superior design makes her a valuable friend to all lifeforms. Roz’s capacity to feel something akin to emotions also embodies the merging of technology and nature. It is unclear if Roz’s emotional intelligence comes from her programming or if it results from her adaptation to the environment. Still, the source of her feelings becomes irrelevant in the face of Roz’s actions. Roz’s leadership and quick actions display that she genuinely cares for her family and the other creatures on the island. Having only just returned to the safety of her home, Roz shows the ultimate act of self-sacrifice by leaving the island and venturing out into the poisoned water for help.

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