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Running Wild
Author:
Michael Morpurgo
Illustrator:
N/A
Published by:
Harper Collins Children's Books
First Published:
1 Jan 2009
Ideal for readers age
9-12y
My Review
This book has been a favourite in our house, particularly with my animal-mad son, who is a little wary of Michael Morpurgo's trademark unhappy endings, but found this story to be an exception to that generalisation!
Heads Up!
At the beginning of the book, we learn that Will has lost his father, and, pretty quickly, we find that he has lost his mother to the Tsunami too....so a pretty sad beginning for more sensitive readers!
Publisher Review
An epic and heart-rending jungle adventure from the bestselling author of Kaspar and Born to Run.
For Will and his mother, going to Indonesia isn't just a holiday. It's an escape, a new start, a chance to put things behind them – things like the death of Will's father.
And to begin with, it seems to be just what they both needed. But then Oona, the elephant Will is riding on the beach, begins acting strangely, shying away from the sea. And that's when the tsunami comes crashing in, and Oona begins to run. Except that when the tsunami is gone, Oona just keeps on running.
With nothing on his back but a shirt and nothing to sustain him but a bottle of water, Will must learn to survive deep in the jungle. Luckily, though, he's not completely alone…
He's got Oona.
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