Roz the robot models the value of community and a life spent in service to others. Throughout the novel, Brown gives readers just enough hints to keep them guessing as to Roz’s intended robot role, and he offers valuable insight into animal adaptations as well as mechanical design principles. But you- my friends and my family - you have taught me to live.” The bonds of her community are threatened when even bigger robots arrive to retrieve Roz and her broken companions, and the cliff-hanger ending almost assures a sequel. Over the course of the novel, the reader experiences the internal changes that occur within Roz as she learns how to think and behave more like an animal, and less like a robot. Once Roz demonstrates her good intentions through action, such as pulling porcupine quills from the face of a fox and adopting a motherless goose egg as her own, the animals invite her into their community. Roz learns to adjust and adapt to her environment she camouflages herself, like the animals around her, to fit into various habitats across the island, and she learns animal languages and communication behaviors. But the only others on this island are wild animals – beavers, bears, porcupines, geese, and more, and they want nothing to do with her. Roz, as she prefers to be called, is programmed to adapt to her environment “and learn to be a better robot.” From the moment she goes online, powered by solar energy, Roz believes that she is at home, and stands ready to serve others, as she is programmed to do.

When a hurricane causes a cargo ship to sink, five crates, each packed with a single robot, manage to float their way to shore, but only one robot survives: ROZZUM unit 7134. And yet, as she sat in her broken crate, Roz felt something like curiosity.” So, too, will readers of popular picture book author and illustrator Peter Brown’s debut middle grade novel. “ As you may know, robots don’t really feel emotions.

Note: This review was written using an advanced reading copy.

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