This book is a rare thing: a picture book with words and illustrations which are equally beautiful.
The story of a boy who rescues and cares for an abandoned fawn, it is a lyrical celebration of Scotland’s landscapes and wildlife which conveys the atmosphere of its setting perfectly. As a summer unfolds, we see the bond between boy and fawn grow, and we share their joy and distress at facing life’s changes.
Louise Greig’s description brings every detail of the wild to life, from the “rustle of circling pines,” to a “scudding cloud” and Júlia Moscardó’s illustrations capture the weather so well that you almost feel a breeze lifting the pages.
There is drama and adventure here, but at its heart this is a tale about connection, and especially the closeness of a child to nature’s small things.
Home of the Wild is already a bedtime favourite in our house and has the distinction of being a picture book picked out by the older children (and the grown-ups) as often as the younger ones. It is a treasure that we can’t recommend highly enough.
Home of the Wild, by Louise Greig and Júlia Moscardó (Floris – out April 29th)
Roaring Reads 