Two children battle to free themselves from the tyranny of the city and return to the beauty, and danger, of the wild, in this beautiful story of loss, love and strength.
Why should I read it? Apart from the first line, which I find too preachy, I absolutely loved this story. I loved the characters and how they talk - Juniper's thought process is great to hear - her worries and challenges. Bear is young and sweet and talks like that too. As you read through the chapters you are slowly but cleverly pulled into this world, this city, where everyone tries to survive without ever getting anything new or wild. As the story progresses you really want the children to succeed in their quest. The description is beautiful and the story rolls along at a good pace, with challenges at the right moments to keep you guessing. It really feels as though its written by an author with their own unique voice. It reminds me a little of Jess Butterworth or Eva Ibbotson. A wonderful read about an important topic.
WARNING, SPOILER: This might be a challenging read for some children as the mum dies in the end.