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Quick answer: If you loved The Wild Robot, try The Wild Robot Escapes, The Wild Robot Protects, The One and Only Ivan, Charlotte's Web, Pax and Hatchet. Each one combines adventure, animals and big feelings in a story kids can read alone or share aloud.
Peter Brown's illustrated novel follows Roz, a robot who washes up on a wild island and learns to survive by watching the animals, then adopts an orphaned gosling named Brightbill. Kids love its short chapters, gentle humor and themes of kindness and belonging. These books share the same mix of nature, friendship and heart, from animal adventures to stories about robots.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Wild Robot Escapes | Peter Brown | 7-11 | kids who want more Roz |
| The Wild Robot Protects | Peter Brown | 7-11 | kids who finished the first two |
| The One and Only Ivan | Katherine Applegate | 8-12 | kids who love animal narrators |
| Charlotte's Web | E. B. White | 7-10 | families who want a classic read-aloud |
| Pax | Sara Pennypacker | 9-12 | kids who like a boy-and-animal bond |
| Hatchet | Gary Paulsen | 10-13 | kids who love survival stories |
| My Side of the Mountain | Jean Craighead George | 9-12 | kids who like nature |
| A Wolf Called Wander | Rosanne Parry | 8-12 | kids who love wolves |
| Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH | Robert C. O'Brien | 8-12 | kids who like animals and science |
| Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth | Judd Winick | 7-11 | kids who like graphic novels |
| Flora & Ulysses | Kate DiCamillo | 8-12 | kids who like quirky humor |
| The Iron Giant | Ted Hughes | 6-10 | younger readers |
| Island of the Blue Dolphins | Scott O'Dell | 9-12 | kids who like survival on islands |
| The Girl Who Drank the Moon | Kelly Barnhill | 10-13 | kids who like fantasy |
| Wishtree | Katherine Applegate | 8-12 | kids who like gentle stories |
1. The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown
Roz is taken to a farm and must find her way back to the island and her son. The sequel is just as moving.
Best for: kids who want more Roz.
2. The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown
Roz faces a poisoned ocean that threatens her island home. The third book in the series.
Best for: kids who finished the first two.
3. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
Ivan, a gorilla living in a shopping mall, decides to help a baby elephant escape. Short chapters and a big heart.
Best for: kids who love animal narrators.
4. Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
A spider saves a pig by writing words in her web. A timeless story about friendship.
Best for: families who want a classic read-aloud.
5. Pax by Sara Pennypacker
A boy and his pet fox are separated by war and journey to find each other.
Best for: kids who like a boy-and-animal bond.
6. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Brian survives alone in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash.
Best for: kids who love survival stories.
7. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
A boy runs away to live alone in the Catskill Mountains with a falcon.
Best for: kids who like nature.
8. A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry
Based on a real wolf, this story follows Swift on a long journey to find a new home.
Best for: kids who love wolves.
9. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
A mouse seeks help from intelligent rats who escaped a laboratory.
Best for: kids who like animals and science.
10. Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick
A boy robot falls from the sky and makes new friends. Funny and fast.
Best for: kids who like graphic novels.
11. Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
A girl rescues a squirrel who gains superpowers after a vacuum cleaner accident.
Best for: kids who like quirky humor.
12. The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes
A giant metal man appears on a cliff and ends up saving the world. Short and poetic.
Best for: younger readers.
13. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
A girl survives alone on an island off California for years.
Best for: kids who like survival on islands.
14. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
A witch raises a baby who is filled with moon magic.
Best for: kids who like fantasy.
15. Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
An old oak tree narrates a story about friendship and welcome.
Best for: kids who like gentle stories.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Wild Robot: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For more of Roz, read The Wild Robot Escapes and The Wild Robot Protects. For animal adventures, try The One and Only Ivan, Pax or A Wolf Called Wander. Kids who love survival should pick Hatchet, My Side of the Mountain or Island of the Blue Dolphins. For younger readers, The Iron Giant and Charlotte's Web make great read-alouds.
Related: 15 Books Like Into the Wild You’ll Love: Wilderness, Adventure and Self-Discovery · Wild by Cheryl Strayed Book Club Discussion Questions (With Summary and Themes)
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is The Wild Robot for?
It is usually recommended for ages 7 to 11 and works well as a family read-aloud.
How many Wild Robot books are there?
There are three novels: The Wild Robot, The Wild Robot Escapes and The Wild Robot Protects.
Is The Wild Robot a movie?
Yes. DreamWorks released an animated film in 2024.