Reviews /
The Wild
Tagged community, conservation, difference, diversity, empathy, environment and ecology, hope, inclusivity, making a difference, power, survival, Susan Verde
It is often said that children reveal to us a truth that as adults we can sometimes be too afraid to admit. The Wild is that gentle wake up call that the current climate challenge demands of us all.
We are taken during this story on a tour of our magical world, a wild environment where the natural beauty of the world around us is portrayed in quite simply beautiful imagery throughout. Yuval Zommer’s ability to bring the joy of gentle yet poignant imagery into the illustration of a story is clear once again in this brilliant picture book. The book captures the diversity of the planet from its settings to its characters and this representation of all is highly successful in engaging all readers.
Our journey through the story shows us what inevitably happens when the world’s resources are used without care. At that moment, the voice of a young boy begins to herald a warning of the impending crisis. But, as often is the case, the voice of the small child is ignored and cast aside. He fails to give up and when it looks like all is lost, the innocent voice of the child is the hope that brings a better future. As people begin to see a more mutual relationship with the planet where there is give as well as take, the world begins to heal and the wild becomes spectacular once again.
Themes of climate change and sustainability are at the core of this text and a springboard to environmental projects would be obvious when reading this tale. The use in encouraging others to take care of the environment would be highly successful. For me, this book was most powerful in encouraging young people to see that even when they think that they are too young to make a difference, or that their voice isn’t being heard, that is just the moment that they really can make the most change. Although Zommer may have been aiming this story at children it is a book that couldn’t fail to inspire anyone that has the joy of opening it.
This review was written by Matt Wilson
Matt is a Senior Leader at a small but incredibly diverse school in the heart of Cardiff and is responsible for teaching and learning and curriculum development and has a passion for children's literature.Copyright: Just Imagine Story Centre Ltd 2012-2023. All rights reserved.