The Wild Before

The Last Wild trilogy won the Guardian Children's FIction Prize and is one of the finest children's adventures of the past decade. Now, Torday returns with a prequel set years before the redeye virus has taken hold, when a young hare is the world's only hope of avoiding disaster. I absolutely loved this stunning animal adventure, every bit as accomplished as the original trilogy, although it could also be read as a satisfying standalone. Timely themes of climate change are woven into an unforgettable story of hope and friendship. * The Bookseller - Editor's Choice *

An extraordinary book, a fable of our time.Torday creates a truly deep and timely tale and a magnificent prologue to The Last Wild Trilogy. Unsettling parallels to climate change and the underlying causes of the global pandemic, this story will make us think about the impact humans have upon the planet. Astonishing storytelling. I loved it.

* Gill Lewis, author of Sky Hawk and A Street Dog Named Pup *
Written in vivid and urgent style ... As thrilling as James and the Giant Peach ... The Last Wild may be as critical to the new generation as Tarka the Otter * The Times on The Last Wild trilogy *
Piers Torday continues to demonstrate that he is one of the best writers for children working today * The Guardian, on There May Be a Castle *
Gripping, original and memorable -- Francesca Simon, on The Last Wild trilogy

A stunning, timely and beautifully-written novel about the urgency of saving our planet. We need stories like The Wild Before more than ever, if only so children know they are not alone.

* Amy Raphael, Author of The Forest of Moon and Stars *