- Chapter Books
- Ages 9–12
- Adventure
The Last Wild
Book 1 of 3 in The Last WildView the full series
A mute boy who can talk to animals escapes a locked institution to find a cure for the plague wiping out the last wild creatures on Earth. A gripping, big-hearted eco-adventure with real emotional stakes.
- Best for9–12
- FormatChapter
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Literary
Tone
- Exciting
- Adventurous
- Dark
- Heartwarming
- Suspenseful
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Twelve-year-old Kester Jaynes has been shut away in Spectrum Hall, an institution for troubled children, and he hasn't spoken a word since his mother died. Outside, a deadly virus called the red-eye has killed nearly all the animals, and a giant corporation, Facto, now feeds a frightened population from its factories. Then Kester discovers he can talk to animals — and the survivors, a ragtag wild led by a proud old stag and a bossy cockroach called the General, believe he is the only one who can save them. Following an army of cockroaches out of Spectrum Hall, Kester sets off across a ravaged land to find his vet father, the one person who might hold a cure, dodging the ruthless cullers sent to exterminate every last beast. Piers Torday's award-shortlisted debut is a thrilling, funny and genuinely moving adventure about hope, loss and the fight to save the natural world, perfect for readers who love their action with heart.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Pitched at 9–12s reading independently, with plenty to grip confident readers and enough to discuss with older ones. It reads aloud well from about 8, though the animal deaths, peril and dystopian setting make it too intense for the most sensitive or youngest listeners.
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- 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, death of parent, grief, violence, 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
- Reluctant readers
Avoid if
- Wants gentle bedtime
- Distressed by animal death
- Sensitive to peril
Particularly good for children who are…
- Bereavement
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Kester can hear what animals are saying — and they need him to save them. Riding out of a locked institution on a wave of cockroaches into a dangerous, half-ruined world, he leads a wild band of survivors past ruthless cullers on a race to find a cure.
- Talking to animals
- Going on a quest
- Surviving danger
- The underdog winning
- Making a difference
Why parents love it
Torday writes a fast, cinematic quest that never talks down to children, wrapping a serious message about extinction and the environment inside a genuinely gripping story. It handles grief and danger honestly, and the animal voices are funny, distinct and unforgettable.
- Conversation starter
- Great writing
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.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
