There are children’s books which either cannot be enjoyed by adults or feel like a dumbed down version of a book written for an older audience. This is neither.

There are high stakes at several levels, emotional upheaval and explanations enough for children to understand what all the above entails.

Jack is suffering. His self-destructive behaviour includes getting involved with a gang of petty criminals, avoiding his best friend at an emotional level and thinking his mother doesn’t care enough. Each of these choices are tested during the course of the events of the book. He is going to find out all the things he didn’t even know that he didn’t know, not just about his mother but the larger and more important things in this world.

Jack learns to deal with his brief and although all the things mentioned sound dark, it is heavy without going into entirely destructive reactions, making it a decent way to show even a younger audience how things could go unless they rely on someone who truly cares.

I enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it to my nieces to read.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Saudade.
'It means longing for something that cannot exist. For something other than the present.'

This is a book that stays with you.
Full of emotion and evocative language.

We start the story in the middle of Jack's grief. He is spiralling, rebelling and not coping after the death of his father. The way Ele tells this is so emotional - I had to put the book down a few times to have a cry as I was bursting with empathy for Jack and all children who have lost a family member.

Who would have thought that Jack would then end up in a rainforest with his mother and her friends. What happens and how will this impact his life? I'm glad for this section as it is such a contrast to his spiral of darkness that I needed the moments of wandering around a remote rainforest.

This was a lot of fun. I loved the writing style and the story had me gripped from pretty early on. I really enjoyed the characters too - I bet kids are going to love reading this adventure!

I first encountered Ele Fountain through a transition project with a year 6 class and adored it. It had me looking out for other books by her. Wild did not disappoint. Dealing with the important topics of grief and deforestation, and touching on anti-social behaviour, this book is both educational and engaging.
Jack is spiralling out of control after the death of his father and feels distant from his mum and his friends. He’s drawn into anti-social behaviour and his mum whisks him away to the rainforest. He initially can’t think of anywhere worse to be, but as they venture deeper into the trees, it’s going to prove to be an adventure he’ll never forget.

This book would be perfect for fans of The Explorer by Katherine Rundell and Lost on Gibbon Island by Jess Butterworth.
Its short chapters make it easy to put down (if you can!) and it deals sensitively with the issues that could be spaced by many children.

Fountain brings the reader on another vivid journey through not only an emotional landscape but a literal one with a trip to the rainforest shining a light on deforestation. The main character of Jack is sullen and grief stricken, collapsing under the pressures of his peers. As the tale unfolds, you get under his skin and are willing Jack on to a resolution with his work obsessed mother. The shift in location may be jarring for Jack but for me, it was entertaining & fascinating to read the way that Fountain crafted the importance of deforestation for younger readers.

This is a book that is steeped in crisis for the characters and the wider world, it will open a lot of eyes and hearts.

I wasn't familiar with Ele Fountain before this book, but I'm so glad I read Wild because it's genuinely delightful. I love books that focus on environmental issues. This book did a great job spotlighting caring for our planet while taking the reader on an emotional adventure. There are some tough topics in this heartwarming story.

Oh. My. Goodness. So good! I seldom read books start to finish in the same day, but I couldn't put this one down.

Powerful. Impactful. Important. This is a story that needs to be told. Not only does it address the topic of deforestation in the rainforests, but it's also a story about grief—how it manifests and how one can eventually find peace even after the death of a loved one.

I was crying by the end. Such a great book.