A “Wild” Author Visit

Author and illustrator Peter Brown visited with students at all three Bexley elementary schools. 

Award winning children’s book author and illustrator Peter Brown spent February 4, 5 and 6 visiting students in each Bexley elementary school. Brown described his process for creating his books and gave a drawing demonstration before answering questions. He sketches and plans every page in his books and one of the sketches for his book The Curious Garden (of a robot in a tree) inspired him to develop the story of The Wild Robot.

Through research on nature, technology, the impact of technology on nature and survival skills, Brown formed his ideas for creating a robot/nature survival story. The story of The Wild Robot  begins with Roz emerging from her crate which has landed on a deserted deeply forested island. Through keen observation, Roz learns about the animals on the island and once she learns to communicate with them is able to form relationships. These relationships, including the bond Roz forms with an orphaned gosling, show how kindness can be an effective survival skill.

The film, The Wild Robot from Dreamworks Animation opened in theatres across the country in September 2024 and has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Animated Film category.  Brown’s elementary school visits were funded by the Foundation’s R.L. Stine Creative Writing Endowment.