Wildlands
Brogen Murphy author Tom Clohosy Cole illustrator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Penguin Random House Children's UK
Published:6th Mar '25
Should be back in stock very soon
Perfect for fans of THE EXPLORER, this exciting debut novel is a gripping and heartfelt survival story set in a future rewilded England.
Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize
The Financial Times calls it "one of the best titles of the year so far"*
WINNER of the Children's Wainwright Prize for Fiction 2025
A UTOPIAN FUTURE.
A FORBIDDEN WILDERNESS.
TWO KIDS TRYING TO SURVIVE.
Twenty-five years into the future, no humans are allowed in the Wildlands – a vast area in Britain where wolves, lynx and bison roam free. The only exception is a high-speed train line between London and Glasgow that crosses right through the heart of the project. Thirteen-year-old Astrid and her little sister, Indie, are onboard when their train slows to a brief, unexpected stop … and they find themselves accidentally left behind. Stranded in this place of astonishing natural wonders and terrible dangers, they have only a rucksack, a phone without signal – and each other. As every wrong turn takes them deeper into the Wildlands, do they have the ingenuity and determination to survive?
How far would YOU go to find your way home?
Perfect for fans of THE EXPLORER and THE LAST WILD, this riveting and emotional story takes place in an imagined future teeming with lost flora and fauna that we can only dream about encountering today.
Winner of the Shropshire Bookfest Book Award 2026
Shortlisted for the Peters Children's Book of the Year 2026
Shortlisted for the Redbridge Book Award 2026
*"Best Summer Books of 2025", 21 June 2025, Financial Times
Love this book. -- Hannah Gold * author of The Last Bear *
A vivid, memorable eco-adventure -- James Lovegrove * Financial Times ("Best Summer Books of 2025") *
Tremendously appealing: deftly pairs page-turning outdoor adventure with substantive environmental and emotional themes. * Kirkus, starred review *
Occasionally books come along that you know will stay in your heart for a long time, and Wildlands is one of them. -- Vashti Hardy * author of the Brightstorm series *
Murphy's family drama is set against a backdrop of bigger issues, and the environmental and domestic concerns are neatly interwoven. The idyllic setting, meanwhile, offers a narrative of hope: there are things that humans can do to control and save the world, on both the micro and macro level. * The Irish Times *
A worthwhile tale that celebrates the importance of conservation. * Publishers Weekly *
A breathtaking adventure with a fierce heart, set in a hopeful future that is worth fighting for. -- Jess French * bestselling children's author and TV presenter *
Set in an imaginary near-future, this environmental adventure is full of incredible lost animals and plants. It's a tense, exciting story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. * The Week Junior (Book of the Week) *
Convincing and affecting, this classic-in-the-making keeps things nail-bitingly real. * Teach Primary magazine *
Set in a utopian landscape and addressing big questions about humanity's relationship with the environment, this is a gripping and refreshingly original story of survival against the odds. Engrossing, thrilling and thought-provoking. * BookTrust *
- Winner of Wainwright Prize 2025 (UK)
- Long-listed for The Branford Boase Award 2026 (UK)
ISBN: 9780241728109
Dimensions: 197mm x 129mm x 27mm
Weight: 294g
416 pages