Customer Reviews

Running Wild

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Like the author, I too read and loved Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book stories of Mowgli and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. It was with frustration and disappointment then, that when I tried to share those wonderful stories with my own children, I discovered they were no longer relevant. My children weren't interested; I think because they are simply outdated. When this book, Running Wild, was recommended to my seven year old by her friend's mother, I let her read it first, knowing only that it had something to do with the Boxing Day Tsunamis and was a lovely story for children. When I read it myself afterward, I found that I was reading an updated Jungle Book. With brief references to the Iraq War, the story focuses largely on the effects of deforestation in a way that appeals to children. I think the book would most suit pre-teens and teenagers, but younger confident readers and adults will love most parts of this book too.
I now want to read more from this author for myself, not just for my kids. Definitely recommended as the best kids book I've read since Harry Potter.

i love this book it about this boy called will his dad died in an Iraq war his mum took him to Indonesia a tsunami came a elephant called oona ran in to the jungle with will but the tsunami killed his mum

This is a fantastic story about a boy who's father is killed in Iraq and who travels to Indonesia with his mother "to get away from it all" - only to be struck mid-vacation by The Boxing Day tsumani. The boy is astride an elephant at the time, and the elephant flees into the jungle just before the wave hits, taking the boy with him. The boy spends a year alone in the jungle with the elephant, learning to survive by understanding the laws and spirit of the jungle. He has encounters with a tiger, a troop of orangutans... What's brilliant about this book is that although it is not a true story, it is highly believable. Animals are the central characters of the book, but they are realistically depicted and their behaviors are true and accurate - not fantastical as they would be in, say, a Disney film. A beautiful book that exposes children to the very real and very rich emotional lives of animals - and what is at stake if the rain-forest continues to be destroyed. The emotional lives of the orangutans as depicted in the book is particular poignant.

Never disappointed with Morpurgos work! Written from a childs prospective he always manages to conjure up the emotions and feelings of a child. Full of imagery,drama and informative..one has a fun read and always learns so much in the process!My youngest son is now reading it... Well done Michael!