Run Wild

This story of the need for young people to connect with the natural world is beautifully written by wildlife author Gill Lewis and accessibly presented in publisher Barrington Stoke’s characteristic dyslexia-friendly style.  Izzy and Asha are desperate to find a space where they can practice their skateboarding away from the threatening Skull brothers.  Their search leads them, together with Izzy’s younger brother Connor and his animal-loving friend Jakub, to the derelict gasworks where they discover a wilderness they never knew existed and an injured wolf that needs their help.

When their newly discovered wilderness with its amazing wildlife, is threatened by developers and local authorities all the children, including the Skull brothers, combine their skills to fight back and protect the wild area that they need by creating a nature reserve to be shared by the local community.

This is a powerful and moving story about the need to protect wild spaces in urban landscapes and the importance, for children, of being free to explore and make connections with the natural world.  Barrington Stoke, Gill Lewis and the charity Rewilding Britain have combined to publicise the importance of enabling the engagement of young people with the natural world.  This is a poignant and accessible book which portrays a sympathetic group of young people who have the determination and commitment to defend what is important to them.