Read Like a Writer: Teaching Tips for The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Unlocking the Secrets of Storytelling: Using'The Wild Robot’ by Peter Brown As a Writing Mentor Text

Reading like a writer is a skill that allows us to delve deeper into the intricacies of storytelling, characters, and the art of crafting meaningful prose. It invites us to go beyond simply enjoying a story and instead, to analyze the author's choices, techniques, and writing style. We can unravel the layers of The Wild Robot by Peter Brown to uncover the secrets that make this book a remarkable mentor text for the middle school classroom, and learn how to apply these insights to the teaching of writing. From grammar to writing moves, the published books kids are already reading can be one of the most powerful tools for teaching kids to write in any genre.

Peter Brown's The Wild Robot is an extraordinary adventure alongside Roz, a robot thrust into a wild and unfamiliar environment. This post outlines the writer's moves throughout four different parts of the book including figurative language, character development and description, and the interplay between plot and setting.

You can also check out my daily/weekly lesson plans for using this book as a mentor text and my corresponding slide presentation.

Writing Camp Overview:

Teaching Robot Stories at a Creative Writing Summer Camp

Writing Camp Slides:

Book Background Information:

Youtube Book Trailer

How to Draw The Wild Robot | Art for Kids Youtube Video

Interview with Peter Brown Youtube Video

Peter Brown on His Writing Process Youtube Video

10 Creative Writing Prompts for Middle Schoolers-Robots and Technology

1. Write a short story about a world where robots have taken over everyday tasks, but one robot develops emotions and questions its purpose.

2. Imagine you are a robot with artificial intelligence. Write a diary entry describing your thoughts and experiences navigating human society.

3. Create a dialogue between two robots discussing the advantages and disadvantages of humans relying on technology.

4. Write a poem about a futuristic robot that becomes self-aware and develops a desire for freedom and individuality.

5. Imagine you have invented a robot that can solve any problem. Describe a specific problem in your life or the world that you would want the robot to solve and explain why.

6. Write a descriptive essay about a day in the life of a person living in a world where robots have become an essential part of society.

7. Write a science fiction story about a young inventor who creates a robot capable of time travel. Explore the consequences and challenges they face.

8. Imagine you wake up one day to find that all technology and robots have mysteriously disappeared. Write a journal entry detailing your experiences and emotions in this new world.

9. Write a persuasive essay arguing for or against the use of robots in everyday life, providing evidence and examples to support your stance.

10. Create a short play where a human and a robot have a conversation about the impact of technology on society, exploring different perspectives and potential outcomes.

Part 1: pp. 1-68

• Pg. 1:Hook conversation: How do we open stories? Often we start with character or setting. 

• Prologue: The story begins with a brief introductory section that sets the stage, provides context, or foreshadows events to come. It may offer historical background, a myth, or a significant event that occurred before the main narrative.

• Action-packed Opening: The story jumps right into an intense or thrilling scene that immediately captures the reader's attention. It hooks them with excitement, suspense, or danger, setting the tone for the rest of the story.

• Dialogue Opening: The story begins with a conversation between characters, revealing their personalities, relationships, or conflicts. It allows for immediate engagement and character development through the exchange of words.

• Descriptive Opening: The narrative starts with vivid descriptions of the setting, atmosphere, or characters. It paints a rich picture, immersing the reader in the world of the story and evoking a strong sense of place or mood.

• Flashback Opening: The story begins with a scene from the past, providing background information, introducing a pivotal event, or offering insights into a character's history. It sets the stage for the present narrative by providing important context.

• Character Introduction Opening: The story opens by introducing a key character or protagonist, delving into their thoughts, feelings, or circumstances. It establishes a connection between the reader and the character, creating empathy or curiosity.

• Mysterious Opening: The narrative begins with a puzzling or enigmatic scene that raises questions and invites the reader to unravel the mystery. It sparks curiosity and a desire to uncover the secrets or unravel the unknown.

• Quotations or Epigraph Opening: The story begins with a relevant quotation or epigraph, offering a thought-provoking statement, poem, or excerpt from another source. It sets the thematic tone or provides a lens through which to interpret the narrative.

• World-building Opening: The story starts by immersing the reader in a unique or fantastical world, introducing its rules, customs, or magical elements. It establishes the setting and invites the reader to explore and discover more about this imaginative realm.

• Pg. 1-3: Use of vivid verbs in writing: raged, thrashed, swirled, knocked, swallowed, etc

• Pg. 6: Building suspense: How does Peter Brown make you want to know what is going to happen next?

• Pg. 9: Character description: How do robots look in our minds? What information do we need to describe characters?  (thoughts, actions, physical appearance, personality, and dialogue)

• Pg. 13: Onomatopoeias: How does Peter Brown use sound in his writing?

• Pg. 26: Setting description: How does the reader see the island? What do we know about the island up until this point?

• Pg. 28: Using lists for description: Describing the storm 

• Pg. 34: Revisit use of onomatopoeias to describe the bear encounter

• Pg. 44: Revisit using lists for description: Describing Roz’s five senses, great intro to a sensory writing activity 

• Pg. 45: Great connection for an observation walk with description/Compare to Roz’s observations about the world around her

• Pg. 63: Introduce rules of dialogue, quotation marks, and placement of dialogue tags

• “I am not your mother, said the robot” (63).

• “What you just did was unbelievable, said Roz, I could not look away” (64).

Part 2: pp. 69-122

• Pg. 72: Using lists to help with description: How does Peter Brown use lists to help give more details to the reader? “The ground grew soggier, the grass grew taller, and the soon the robot and the gosling were looking across a wide, murky pond” (72)

• Pg. 75:  Introducing new characters along the way: How does Peter Brown introduce Loudwing?

• Pg. 79-80: Setting description: How does the reader see the beaver dam? How would you describe a forest in your writing?

• Pg. 89 & 98: A snapshot is a moment where the author provides specific description about a character or the setting. How does Peter Brown describe the new lodge/new home/the garden?

• Pg. 100: Revisit rules of dialogue, trying to balance words, dialogue tags, and description “Swim! Swim! said the gosling, shaking his tail feathers” (100).

• Pg. 106-107: Character description: How does Peter Brown describe Roz and Brightbill’s mother and son relationship?

• Pg. 108: 2nd person interruption: Do you like that Peter Brown talks to the reader directly?

• Pg. 113: Using lists to help with description. “Waves rolled in from the horizon. Seagulls circled above the shore. A steady breeze blew up the slope” (113). 

• Pg. 119: Setting description: How does Peter Brown describe the island during summer? How do authors portray different seasons?

• Pg. 121: Revisit rules of dialogue. Peter Brown does not use dialogue tags here. How does this change the reading of the conversation? Why do authors do this?

Part 3: pp. 123-195

• Pg. 127: Review 2nd person interruption: Do you like that Peter Brown talks to the reader directly? Does it help the reader understand the tough time that Brightbill is going through with figuring out Roz’s background?

• Pg. 128: Review dialogue rules: Using dialogue to make time go faster or show emotion when no dialogue tags are included

• Pg. 138 & 142: Use of degree adverbs (Ending in -Ly) expertly, pg. 138, quickly and slowly, pg. 142

• Pg. 157: Discuss building an effective scene: A good scene has dialogue, snapshots (character description and setting description) and a thoughtshot (character thinking to build suspense). Discuss the scene of Brightbill pushing the button the back of Roz’s head 

• Pg. 172: Review setting description: Describe the island as being quiet after the migration of all of the birds and hibernation of animals

Part 4: 196-269

• Pg. 203: Review the importance of flashbacks or telling stories from one character to another to give background information and fill in plot holes

• Pg. 229: Using lists to create a sense of urgency and action. “Roz needs our help! These robots want to take her away! We have to do something!” (229).

• Pg. 252-253: Discuss building an effective scene: A good scene has dialogue, snapshots (character description and setting description) and a thoughtshot (character thinking to build suspense). Discuss the scene of Brightbill trying to save Roz from the RECO robot. 

• Pg. 268-269: Discuss different types of story endings. Why do authors choose to end their stories where they do?

• Happy Ending: The characters achieve their goals, overcome obstacles, and find happiness and fulfillment. All loose ends are tied up, and there is a sense of closure and satisfaction.

• Tragic Ending: The story concludes with a sorrowful or devastating outcome for the characters. It often involves death, loss, or unfulfilled desires, leaving the audience with a sense of sadness or despair.

• Twist Ending: A sudden and unexpected plot twist occurs, revealing a surprising truth or changing the course of events. It can leave the audience shocked, questioning their assumptions, and reevaluating the story's events.

• Bittersweet Ending: The conclusion combines elements of both happiness and sadness. The characters may achieve some of their goals but at a significant cost or sacrifice. It evokes a complex mix of emotions, leaving the audience with a sense of both satisfaction and longing.

• Open Ending: The narrative concludes without providing a definitive resolution. It leaves room for further exploration or continuation, allowing the audience to imagine what might happen next.

• Epilogue: The main story concludes, and an additional section follows, often set in the future, providing glimpses into the characters' lives after the main events. It offers closure and shows the long-term consequences of the story's events.

• Cliffhanger Ending: The story ends with a dramatic, unresolved situation, often at a critical moment. It leaves the audience in suspense, eagerly anticipating the next installment or resolution.

• Circular Ending: The story ends where it began, creating a sense of symmetry or cyclical nature. It suggests that history repeats itself or that characters are trapped in a never-ending cycle.

Writing Mindset Reflection: How would you use The Wild Robot to teach writing to kids? What activities come to mind?

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