LoveReading4Kids Says
Shortlisted for the Waterstone's Children's Prize 2014 Fiction for 5-12's category
April 2013 Debut of the Month Do not miss this magical and astounding debut: The Last Wild by Piers Torday (yes mums and dads, his Dad Paul wrote Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) - a wonderfully imaginative tale of magical self-realisation and endless possibility. A truly inspirational book for kids that they'll love. It also introduces a bold new voice in children’s fiction with a story destined to be loved by readers of all ages. Perfect too, for children who love Michael Morpurgo, Eva Ibbotson and Roald Dahl.
In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Last Wild a small number of children were lucky enough to be invited to review this title. Here's a taster....'I found the book very easy to read and very interesting. I am taking it into school where I will let some other kids in my class read it because I think they will enjoy it too.'
Scroll down to read more reviews...
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Piers Torday Press Reviews
Katie Humphreys age 10 I think this book was great because it had adventure, mystery and happiness in it. Click here to read the full review
Ewan Young, 10 The Last Wild is a really good book. It was so exciting I couldn't stop reading it! Click here to read the full review
Daisy Theobald, age 10 if you are an animal lover then this is the book for you....Click here to read the full review
Hinnie Broom age 10 it shows you how much we depend on animals Click here to read the full review
Megan Lucius age 9 It is one of those books that you pick up and can’t put down because it sort of sucks you in. Click here to read the full review
Nathan Gray, age 9 I found the book very easy to read and very interesting. I am taking it into school where I will let some other kids in my class read it because I think they will enjoy it too. Click here to read the full review
Ben age 13 I enjoyed this book because it was interesting to read and gave an insight to people who can’t easily communicate with other people. Click here to read the full review And Click here to visit Ben's BooK Blog!
Joseph Cattrell - 'This is an outstanding book which leaves the reader guessing; each cliff hanger leaves you wanting to read more and more and not put the book down.' Click here to read the full review
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'Splendid stuff' Eva Ibbotson
. 'A darkly comic and hugely inventive adventure ... it could be the next big thing Eoin Colfer
. 'The sequel had better come soon Observer
. 'Thrilling ... Written in a vivid, urgent style, its sense of loss at all the creatures we have lost or are losing may be as critical to the new generation as Tarka the Otter Times
. 'I haven't read a book this good and interesting since The Hunger Games ... an edge-of-your-seat fast-paced read Guardian Children
's website. 'Inventive, with laughs, tears and cliffhangers' Sunday Times
. 'An action-packed, dystopian eco-thriller with memorable characters, both animal and human, and a powerful message about the interdependence of man and nature. A promising debut Daily Mail
. 'It's a grim but in no way depressing read, preaching hope amid dystopia Financial Times
About Piers Torday
Piers Torday began his career in theatre and then television as a producer and writer. His bestselling first book for children, The Last Wild, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Award and nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal as well as numerous other awards. His second book, The Dark Wild, won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. The third book in the trilogy, The Wild Beyond, was published in 2015 to critical acclaim. His next book for children, There May Be a Castle, was published in October 2016.
In regular demand as a speaker at schools and festivals, Piers is also a reading helper with Beanstalk, a former judge on the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, a Patron of Reading at Heathmere School and a trustee of the Pleasance Theatre.
Born in Northumberland, Piers now lives in London with his husband and hopefully a cat.
Piers Torday writes...
I was born in Northumberland, which is possibly the one part of England where more animals live than people, and spent my early years crawling around on the floor of the popular children’s bookshop that my mother ran.
The first book I can remember reading is Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. “Stop thief!”
I was a total bookworm and read everything I could lay my hands on, from Beatrix Potter to Babar, Moomintrolls to Hobbits. Some of my favourite books included Stig Of The Dump, The Land of Green Ginger and The Silver Sword.
I also loved comic books, especially all of Tintin and Asterix. So I tried to write one.
When I was 8, I won a cartoon competition in the local paper with my entry “Super Sid”, a comic strip about a superhero called Sid. Unfortunately his main super power was being called Sid, and so he didn’t last long.
My first proper story was written age 13, which starts – ‘Sam was a dog. And like most dogs, he was a detective.’
This should have led to a promising career in canine detective fiction but at school and university I became completely distracted by theatre & comedy, which is where I then started my working life - at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, producing plays and sketch shows, and occasionally writing them too.
I am very proud to still be a Trustee of the Pleasance Theatre, which gave me my first ever job, and every year gives hundreds of new writers, performers, producers and technicians their first break.
After that, I accidentally came up with a successful gameshow called Come and Have A Go If You Think You’re Smart Enough and moved into television. I still work in TV, developing programme ideas and occasionally being allowed to make them – including Argumental and DSF: Olivia Lee (Series 1 &2).
But deep down the thing I most wanted to do was write stories like the ones I grew up on, and after my Dad wrote his first book at the age of 60 - Salmon Fishing In The Yemen - I felt inspired. So I went on a marvellous Arvon Course at Ted Hughes’ old house in West Yorkshire. They were very encouraging – and I began to write a book.
That book eventually became The Last Wild, and I am currently writing the next installment in the story.
In between, I have just been trained as a Volunteer Reader by VRH and can’t wait to start helping children in my local London schools to enjoy books and stories like I did when I was younger.
More About Piers Torday
Do not miss this magical and astounding debut: The Last Wild by Piers Torday (yes mums and dads, his Dad Paul wrote Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) - a wonderfully imaginative tale of magical self-realisation and endless possibility. A truly inspirational book for kids that they'll love. It also introduces a bold new voice in children’s fiction with a story destined to be loved by readers of all ages. Perfect too, for children who love Michael Morpurgo, Eva Ibbotson and Roald Dahl.
![reader reviews](http://www.lovereading.co.uk/uploads/pictures/misc/readreader_150.gif)
In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Last Wild a small number of children were lucky enough to be invited to review this title. Here's a taster....'I found the book very easy to read and very interesting. I am taking it into school where I will let some other kids in my class read it because I think they will enjoy it too.'
Scroll down to read more reviews...