By the fifth paragraph in, the young narrator is describing the first adult character mentioned as a warden, complete with italics. This is a tough book for readers of any age. Although the protagonist of the story fits within that age division and is very much a relatable character, the story in which he inhabits is far more appropriately characterized by the names Quarantine Zone and Forest of the Dead than the benign-sounding Spectrum Hall and Old Burn Farm. The issue is not so much the '12' part as the' 8' part. And therein lies the problem with the content of the book relative to its intended target audience. The map features significant landmarks in the story-though not to any precise scale-such as Spectrum Hall, Old Burn Farm, the Quarantine Zone, and the Forest of the Dead. Although professional, it is cartoonish in style and an appropriate means of drawing in the targeted readership of the novel: those between age 8 and 12. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.Īfter the dedication, but before the narrative begins, the first page that greets readers is a black and white illustration of a hand-drawn map. There were lots of animated discussions and we are all keen to read the next two books in this trilogy.These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. This book had both tension and humour, and great characterisation. We couldn't help but speculate on what was going to happen next, who were the goodies and the baddies, and what was motivating humans and animals in this imagined, apocalyptic world of the near future. It is an action-packed page-turner of a book. Reading just one section of the book at a time for each week's discussion was tough. This is a fabulous book that had us all completely gripped. Together they must find a cure for the red-eye disease, and his adventure begins. One night Kester finds that he can communicate with the cockroach in his room, and pigeons outside his window want to help him escape.Īlone on the island, Kester discovers that there are still some animals alive. The world is bleak with all the animals diseased or dead, and there is no means of making food, so a 'formula', where everything tastes of prawn cocktail crisps, is all there is to eat. His mum has died and his dad has disappeared. In this book, Kester is imprisoned in a school for troubled children.

Six pupils from Year Six met with me during the winter term in 2018 to read ‘The Last Wild’ by Piers Torday.

The last wild by piers torday