In The Last Wild by Piers Torday, a young boy called Kester is being kept at a place called Spectrum Hall after a virus has killed all of the animals on earth apart from ‘varmints’ (pigeons, cockroaches, rats etc.). What makes Kester different from the other children at Spectrum Hall is that he can’t speak. One night, a flock of pigeons come into his bedroom and carry him off to a clearing in a wood where he finds – to his disbelief – the last animals alive on earth. Together with a stag, a wolf cub, a cockroach and a flock of pigeons, they travel across the island to try and find a cure for the virus.

I really liked The Last Wild because it was very exciting and unexpected. My favourite character was the wolf cub because he was very arrogant and funny. I would recommend this book for readers of all ages – especially animal lovers. Piers Torday is a unique and relatively unheard of author who I would highly recommend. The Last Wild is funny, exciting and imaginative and I am looking forward to reading the sequel The Dark Wild.

I would give this book 4/5.

Adam Quinn, Yr 9 John O’Gaunt School