The wild way home by Sophie Kirtley
Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 9781526616289.
Recommended for primary and middle school students. Charlie and
friends, Lamont and Beaky have been playing in Mandel Forest since
they were small, and while playing a game of hunters and hunted
Charlie finds a deer tooth with twelve marks on it. This seems
auspicious as not only is Charlie about to turn twelve but a much
longed for baby brother or sister is about to be born. When Dara is
born with a serious heart condition Charlie runs away from the
hospital and distressed parents, escaping into the woods, led by a
bird to someone lying face down in a stream. Not stopping to think
Charlie rescues the person who turns out to be a long haired boy
with a head injury wearing nothing but animal skins. Not only does
the boy look and sound strange but the forest has changed and when
Charlie tries to find the path to go and get help, it is not there.
However, familiar landmarks like Pinnacle Rock and the Spirit Stone
are recognisable, suggesting to Charlie that this is another version
of the world, another dimension. There is no time to dwell on this
as they try to survive in this Stone Age wild world of wolves, bears
and lynx, courageously facing challenges and sharing laughter.
They discover that instead of difference, Charlie and Hart boy are
struggling with the same fears for their families. The setting is
evocative with all the features of the Stone Age, cave paintings,
spears and flint tools and the wild forest with its deep
spirituality is the perfect place for an adventure.
Readers will find it easy to identify with Charlie's hopes and fears
especially as we are left guessing as to her/his gender and
appearance. We can hold our breath at the well-constructed moments
of tension, laugh and cry as the adventure unfolds and identify with
the characters' need to escape. "If only we could wish things away
just by not thinking about them". p. 187.
A lovely first novel with echoes of Stig of the Dump by
Clive King and Skellig by David Almond. Wouldn't it be good
to have a similar story set in ancient Australia?
Themes: family, Stone Age, adventure.
Sue Speck