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The Wild Way Home

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The Wild Way Home

By: Sophie Kirtley
Narrated by: Sarah Ovens
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Bloomsbury presents The Wild Way Home by Sophie Kirtley, read by Sarah Ovens.

'So good I read it twice' – Hilary McKay, author of The Skylarks' War

'This thrilling time-slip adventure oozes magic and heart' – Bookseller EDITOR'S CHOICE

When Charlie’s longed-for brother is born with a serious heart condition, Charlie’s world is turned upside down. Upset and afraid, Charlie flees the hospital and makes for the ancient forest on the edge of town. There Charlie finds a boy floating face-down in the stream, injured, but alive. But when Charlie sets off back to the hospital to fetch help, it seems the forest has changed. It’s become a place as strange and wild as the boy dressed in deerskins. For Charlie has unwittingly fled into the Stone Age, with no way to help the boy or return to the present day. Or is there?

What follows is a wild, big-hearted adventure as Charlie and the Stone Age boy set out together to find what they have lost – their courage, their hope, their family and their way home.

Fans of Piers Torday and Stig of the Dump will love this wild, wise and heartfelt debut adventure.©2020 Sophie Kirtley (P)2020 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Action & Adventure Fiction Growing Up & Facts of Life Historical Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Science Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Survival Stories Time Travel Heartfelt Survival
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Critic reviews

The Wild Way Home echoes Skellig and Stig of the Dump, with a bold, readable charm entirely its own ... Full of peril, sadness and wild joy, it’s a timeslip adventure with a difference.
Underpinning this action-packed debut is a sensitive portrayal of how a child’s fear of illness and change can be overcome by helping others and facing up to the truth.
This thrilling time-slip adventure oozes magic and heart
So good I read it twice
I loved this unique quirky story full of heart
An enchanting debut
With echoes of Skellig, this story is so smoothly told I barely stopped. A really powerful debut and definitely a must in every school library
Delivers in spades. It made me laugh, cry, gasp and turn the pages for one more chapter every time I had to stop
Reminiscent of Skellig and Stig of the Dump, The Wild Way Home is a lovely time-slip adventure full of heart, family and finding your feet when times are tough
An exciting debut that takes us on a timeslip adventure into the deep past, where survival is at the point of a spear and family is the only thing you have to hold onto
Gorgeously magical and achingly real. I loved every character in this book and I devoured the whole story in a breathless rush because I couldn't stop reading (even when it made me cry)
A beautiful story of things ancient and eternal. Kirtley convincingly creates and navigates the difficult landscapes of both Stone Age Ireland and contemporary family life in this big-hearted, gripping debut.
A tense, emotionally charged time-slip story … deeply moving and at times heart-breaking. Coming soon and eminently worth the wait
It is a heart-warming, magical book that has family, friendship and overcoming difficulties at its core. I couldn’t put it down!
A captivating story of self-discovery and realising what is truly important in life
Perfect for an UKS2 Stone Age topic, or for a nature or history lover, this world was immersive and believable and characters, settings and plot line were written with extraordinary attention to detail. Beautiful!
Fans of Stig of the Dump or Michelle Paver’s Wolf Brother series will very much enjoy Sophie Kirtley’s vivid, exciting and heart-warming Stone Age timeslip story… Kirtley portrays the emotional truths of her story with equal skill, making that Charlie’s sense of loss, love and home as vivid and affecting as the encounters with wolves. This is Sophie Kirtley’s debut novel and very impressive.
A captivating story of self-discovery and realising what is truly important in life… It is also a magnificent portrayal of Stone Age life with opportunities for discussion about values, survival and family. (Top 10 Summer Holiday Books for Children)
All stars
Most relevant
An amazing audio book written by a wonderful writer and performed a versatile narrator.

I was hooked from beginning to the end.

And I believe the story would engage every child too.

Amazing !

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Very Annoying vocals and cheesy storyline
Whist touching on serious topics also very juvinile . Mediocre at best

Annoying vocals

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A lovely heart warming story. Bringing back great memories of my childhood and no doubt many others. Had a few tears welling up at the end.

Endearing adventure

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A lovely read for an older child. Beautifully written description enables the reader’s imagination to really picture the story. The storyline kept me turning the pages, wanting to know more. An emotional, happy ending brought a tear to my eye.

A heartwarming story of childhood

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A really nice piece for children 8 and forwards, we really enjoyed this book.

We liked how Charlie and Harby’s ( Hart Boy ) story in twined together in ways.
We liked how Charlie and Harby liked each other in a way that was different from what Charlie acted like with his other friends, Lamont and Becky ( and Nero the dog! ) we think this book is a really good book.

The Wild Way Home

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