- Chapter Books
- Ages 9–12
- Adventure
The Dark Wild
Book 2 in The Last WildView the full series
Kester thought he had saved the last animals, but beneath the city an angry underground wild is rising to make war on humankind — and only he can stop the slaughter. A darker, more urgent second volume.
- Best for9–12
- FormatChapter
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The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Literary
Tone
- Exciting
- Adventurous
- Dark
- Suspenseful
- Heartwarming
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Kester Jaynes believed he had found and rescued the last wild animals on Earth. But deep beneath the gleaming city of Premium, a hidden dark wild has survived — and its animals, led by the terrifying wildcat Dagger, have decided the time has come to rise up and destroy their human enemies once and for all. Caught between mankind's final push to wipe out every beast and an underground rebellion bent on revenge, Kester is the only one who can prevent an all-out war. With his loyal companions the Stag, the General and the fierce girl Polly at his side, he must journey back into danger to broker an impossible peace. Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, this second book in Piers Torday's Last Wild trilogy is bigger, darker and more thrilling than the first, moving the fight from countryside to city while keeping the humour, heart and emotional honesty that make the series so loved.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Best for 9–12s who read the first book; the continuous story means it isn't a good starting point. It reads aloud well from around 8, but the war between animals and humans, the deaths and a frightening villain make it too intense for the youngest or most sensitive readers.
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- Best fit · 9–12
- Read aloud · 8–12
- Independent · 9–12
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
None
Reluctant-reader friendly
Workable
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
Preview before sharing if a child is sensitive to: animal harm, death of character, violence, war or conflict, scary imagery.
Bedtime suitability
1 / 5 · Wide awake
Sensitive-child
2 / 5 · Use judgement
Graphic intensity
2 / 5 · Mild
Best for
- Animal lovers
- Eco adventure
- Dystopian adventure
- Award winners
Avoid if
- Wants gentle bedtime
- Distressed by animal death
- Sensitive to peril
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The stakes are higher this time: a hidden wild beneath the city wants war on all humans, and Kester is caught in the middle. There are battles, a genuinely scary wildcat villain, and the same brilliant animal characters trying to stop everything falling apart.
- Talking to animals
- Going on a quest
- Surviving danger
- Making a difference
- The underdog winning
Why parents love it
Winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, this instalment deepens the world and the moral questions without losing pace. Torday refuses to sugar-coat — animals die, choices have consequences — yet keeps enough humour and hope to carry younger readers through.
- Great writing
- Conversation starter
In the series
The Last Wild.
3 books · open the series →
About the author
Piers Torday.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
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