I really enjoyed this book. The descriptions are beautiful and a real sense of the forest is created. It is pacey and adventurous with a satisfying parallels between Charlie's story and Harby's which work well. I don't think I've ever read SoTD but I know my daughter's school read this in yr3 so I will be recommendng the Wild Way Home to the teachers as an alternative/complementary text. The Shadow Man is a suitably scary presence for MG readers and the fast paced nature of the story keep you reading. Charlie's struggles with becoming an older sibling and his worries about the health of his baby brother are dealt with sensitively. I was strongly reminded of Skellig and Bog Child as I read.

This book stars Charlie, a 12 year old boy who has finally got the sibling that he's always longed for. But all is not right and when Charlie runs into the forest to escape, he finds himself being taught a thing or two by a Stone Age boy.

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!

Really lovely little story - family, friends, and home, and the importance of all.
Reminiscent of Skellig

This was an absolutely stunning MG fantasy book. The writing was beautifully powerful and descriptive, which made for a real feast for the senses. This threw books like Ug and Littlenose to the wayside completely. If I was looking for a Stone Age book to teach with, this would be high up on the list. It doesn't just show you a view of the Stone Age, it highlights the importance of family and friendship too!

The blurb sold me on this book and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it. Charlie has always longed for a younger sibling and when his sibling is born with a chronic illness, he doesn't know what to do or how to cope. He runs into the familiar forest near the hospital and is transported back in time after seeing a young boy lying upside down in the stream.

I was so emotionally invested in this book and the gorgeous characters. Charlie has such a wonderfully supportive family and such a great bond with the mystery character he finds in the forest. I absolutely loved the fact this book kept me guessing throughout.

A brilliant book that is well worth reading!

My attention was brought to this book being on Net Galley by a friend and, drawn by its gorgeous cover, I requested it, not knowing anything about the storyline. From the cover, I had inferred it would be something similar to the classic Stig of the Dump – a book I have read several times and loved – was I right?

In some respects, yes, but here the time travelling is done in the opposite direction with modern-day Charlie finding himself back in the Stone Age. It is here that we briefly find ourselves in the opening chapter with the birth of a boy – something that is echoed shortly after the main narrative starts with the birth of another boy.

This baby is the much longed-for younger brother of Charlie, who is woken very early on his birthday by his father to share the news. Sadly, on visiting the hospital later that day, it transpires that the baby, Dara, has a serious heart condition which requires immediate surgery. Overwhelmed with a range of emotions, Charlie flees the hospital to hide in the reassuringly familiar woods where he spends much of his time playing with his best friends.

Here, he comes across a body floating face down in the river. On dragging it to the bank, he discovers that rather than a corpse the body is a boy who has suffered a head injury. After trying to summon help and failing, Charlie at first feels threatened by the now conscious child who is strangely dressed in animal skins before the two of them realise that neither poses a threat and they befriend one another.

The strange boy, who later identifies himself as Harby, appears concussed and is anxious to find his baby sister, Mothga. Charlie decides he should help and together they face several challenges as they try to locate her such as wolves and a bear while Charlie tries to work out how to get home.

This is a beautiful book in so many ways. Firstly, Charlie and Harby are credible characters and the developing friendship with them is well-written, bearing many comparisons with Stig and Barney in Clive King’s classic text. Here, it is again the modern boy who comes across the caveboy but it is a reflection of the huge changes in children’s literature since that book was published in 1963 that the story is a lot more ‘edgy’ in its coverage of issues which affect many of today’s children.

Charlie, in common with most of us, anticipates the arrival of a ‘perfect’ sibling and is not emotionally equipped to deal with the reality of Dara’s heart condition when it is presented to him. His panic and initial rejection of his baby brother, and his later guilt at his feelings and actions, are described perfectly here and will strike a chord with many readers, both child and adult. As he reflects on the love that Harby feels for Mothga, Charlie comes to realise that love is unconditional and is determined to make amends for his actions, if he is able to return home.

This is a wonderful book, packed full of action but one that definitely tugs at the heartstrings and I would recommend it to anyone of Year 5 age and above, especially fans of Stig of the Dump, although you do not need to have read that to enjoy this. The good news for everyone who enjoys this is the release of a sequel in 2021.

Huge thanks to both Net Galley and Bloomsbury Children’s Books for allowing me to read this title ahead of its publication on July 9th.

The Wild Way Home is an absolute treasure trove of adventure, excitement and danger set in a wild and natural environment whilst, at its heart, it resonates with the importance of family, friendship and acceptance. This is a truly breath-taking story that completely captured me as I was transported back in time for an action-packed adventure with Charlie and Harby who prove that being born millennia apart is no barrier to friendship.

Twelve-year-old Charlie has been wishing for a baby brother or sister at every birthday and that dream is finally realised when her father gives her the news that Dara, Charlie’s baby brother, has been born. Charlie’s dream soon turns into a painful nightmare when it is revealed that Dara has a life-threatening heart condition.

With her fragile emotions in turmoil, Charlie escapes to Mandel Forest where she rescues a young, injured boy from the river. But this boy is wearing deerskins, owns a spear and is hostile towards her. Charlie soon comes to the realisation that she has travelled through time to a Stone Age Mandel Forest which is familiar, yet unfamiliar. Is her journey back to the past linked to her predilection for collecting forest treasures? How will she find her way home?

The Stone Age boy, Harby, is desperate to find his baby sister Mothga, so the children soon find themselves on a dangerous undertaking to discover what has happened to her, an adventure that sees them coming face-to-face with some of the Forest’s wild inhabitants, with a dangerous stranger and with painful truths that cannot stay locked in memory.

Can being lost in the past, caught up in Harby’s quest to find his sister, help Charlie to find her way back to her family, to have the courage to accept her heart-breaking situation and no longer run from her pain?

The relationship between Charlie and Harby is wonderfully portrayed from their fear-filled, uncertain first meeting, to the leap of faith shown in the tentative building of trust which leads to a protective friendship which allows them both to open up to each other and overcome fear. Both children show incredible courage and resilience when faced with terrible danger and heart-breaking discoveries. They help each other to accept the heartache and pain in their lives and, in doing so, find a shared bond and wonderful camaraderie.

I really enjoyed the genuine appreciation for the natural environment with its vivid depiction of Mandel Forest both in the present and the past. Landmarks from the past have undoubtedly changed over the passage of millennia, but are still recognisable in Charlie’s time. She enjoys living at the edge of the forest and has a real affinity for it, making it a well-loved playground and a source of natural treasures to collect.

Charlie’s gender is not made explicit in the story, so it is left for the reader to imagine Charlie through their own inferences and experiences. Growing up in the wilds of rural Ireland, I completely understand Charlie’s affinity with nature, the collection of found items, and just the joyous abandon in roaming this environment which is a natural playground. For me, Charlie resonates as a young girl who runs from her pain to the place where she can seek solace, to the place that she feels in the depths of her soul.

The Wild Way Home is an exhilarating and heartfelt journey into the depths of an ancient past, resounding with a powerful message of the strength to be gained from family and friendship. A simply stunning and richly evocative must-read story which lingers long after the last page is closed.

Stig of the Dump meets Skellig in this heartwarming time-slip debut about friendship and courage. Brilliant for Stone Age and Environment topics, The Wild Way Home celebrates nature as Charlie finds a deeper respect for the wildlife and wildness of the forest and a new bravery and understanding of self.
Written with warmth and humour, Kirtley uses gentle details of every day home life that ground the story in reality and give the characters substance. Balanced with the peril and fierce wildness of a Stone Age forest, this is a gripping adventure, perfect for fans of Hilary McKay and Geraldine McCaughrean. I loved it!

All Charlie has ever wanted is a little brother or sister, and when his wish is finally granted on his twelfth birthday, he resolves to be the perfect big brother. But when Charlie’s little brother is diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition, Charlie runs away to the forest that has always been his refuge. But something in the forest has changed: Charlie finds himself caught up in a Stone-Age quest that will challenge him and ultimately give him the courage to be the big brother he wants to be.

There are some major challenges about writing a story set in the Stone Age, the language barrier in particular, but Sophie Kirtley makes the imaginative leap with ease and flair to creates a sincere friendship between Charlie and ‘Harby’, a Stone Age boy, despite the thousands of years that separate them.

The Wild Way Home is a page-turning adventure, but also a wonderful tribute to the lingering magic to be found in all wild places.

The Wild Way Home is a captivating story of self-discovery and realising what is truly important in life. In the stillness of the forest, twelve-year-old Charlie and his friends explore the ancient paths and walk where many people have come before. When Charlie discovers a special deer tooth, he has no idea to whom it once belonged or just how important it will prove to be. Sophie Kirtley captures the beauty of the forest through her wonderful descriptions of the trees, plant life and animals who rule the landscape. Images of enchanting nature fill the pages as Charlie finds out what his true path will be.

Charlie has almost everything he ever wanted and is just about to receive his greatest wish – a baby brother. However, when baby Dara is born and there are complications, Charlie doesn’t know what to do. He runs – runs so far away no one will be able to find him. Lost in the past, Charlie faces challenges he never imagined and finds strength he didn’t know he possessed. Will he be able to make his way back home to the life he always longed for?

This book should find a home on classroom and bedroom bookshelves for so many reasons. It will help children to explore difficult changes in life and learn how to cope when things are hard. It reassures children that they are not alone in their feelings or circumstances and that things can get better. It is also a magnificent portrayal of Stone Age life. The Wild Way Home would be a great accompaniment to a class Stone Age topic with opportunities for discussion about values, survival and family. The symbolism of the wolf and the recurring spirit songs are strong reminders that some of the most important things we can do are “give thanks” and “make safe”.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children’s Books for this very special book. It will be published in July 2020.

The Wild Way Home is an exciting time-slip adventure set in the Stone Age, great for fans of Stig of the Dump. However, it is so much more than ‘just’ an historical tale. From the very first pages, I was hooked in by Kirtley’s exquisite story-telling. Her vivid, delightful description of Mandel Forest made me feel like I really had been transported back to a time when earth was unspoiled and respected; the characters’ passion for their natural environment was well-portrayed.

Both of the main characters, Charlie ‘Wild Thing’ and Harby the ‘wild-haired boy’, were extremely likeable and it was a pleasure to observe their unique friendship grow throughout the story. As Charlie navigated himself around unfamiliar territory and emotions, I felt his sadness and fear. I was moved by Harby’s love for and commitment to his family. Also, by how Charlie’s journey led him to recognise his feelings and develop the courage he needed to face his fears with kindness and compassion. The emotional moments were well-balanced with heart-stopping flashes of danger and survival that were so well-written they put me on the edge of my seat, as well as humorous exchanges between characters which made me smile and laugh.

It is a heart-warming, magical book that has family, friendship and overcoming difficulties at its core. I couldn’t put it down!

I will definitely be buying The Wild Way Home for my classroom library and sharing some of the fabulous description in my English lessons. It would also complement a unit on the Stone Age or settlements. Due to some of the heart-breaking moments that made me cry, I would recommend this for readers in Upper KS2 and above. I am excited to read more from Sophie Kirtley in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publishers for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

So good Hilary McKay 'read it twice'! The writing style uses lots of short sentences which add to the tension that is felt throughout most of the book and and the use of language in general is simply sumptuous - this is a real book to get lost in and transport you to the forests of old. Shot through with emotional flashes that draw well on Charlie and Harby's feelings, this is a fantastic and exciting Stone Age/modern timeslip story with all the feels.

An absolutely perfect text to accompany learning about the Stone Age, although depending on the year that Stone Age is taught, extracts might work better than using the full text.

When Charlie's baby brother Dara is born with some medical complications, Charlie struggles to deal with the anxiety that comes with it. He runs away from the hospital to the safety and comfort of his local woods, where he often plays. Here he finds another boy, floating face down in the river. Once Charlie saves the boy he realises that he seems to have time travelled...

Through this adventure, Charlie and the reader both learn about how anxiety is a natural feeling and despite tackling it being difficult, if you can, good things come in return.

Well written, with excellent descriptions of the forest scenery, readers will be transported to the place and time of the story with ease.

Charlie has wished for a baby brother or sister every birthday of his life... And on the day before his 12th birthday, his wish is granted and Charlie’s little brother Dara is born, but with a life-threatening heart condition that plunges Charlie into a spiral of anxiety and distress. Overwhelmed by big emotions, Charlie runs from the hospital and from his parents to his sanctuary: his forest. But suddenly, he finds his forest is not the forest he knows and loves, but a Stone Age version filled with danger and peril. Charlie befriends a Stone Age boy he calls Harby, and learns that Harby needs to find his baby sister to make her safe. The journey Charlie goes on to find Harby’s family and “make safe” his baby sister teaches Charlie that family is the most important thing. A remarkable array of animals in the forest, including a pack of wolves, an eagle and a lynx, teach Charlie about family, the strength of kindness, sticking together, and overcoming adversity in the face of danger. The bond between the two boys provides Charlie with the strength and courage he needs to return home, face his parents, and “make safe” his baby brother... If he can just find a way out of the forest...

Sophie Kirtley’s debut is a vivid time-slip adventure in a striking setting, full of lessons to be learned in empathy, courage, and kindness. Set against a background of a wild and wonderful woodland, Sophie’s exploration of big emotions in young children, the importance of family and taking care of one another, is the perfect vehicle to open up conversations with young children about difficult and often distressing topics. I cried happy tears, and sad tears, and being a husky owner, the part with the wolves made me want to hold my own pack just a little tighter. A beautiful story which demonstrates perfectly that nomatter your place in time, the strength of family and friendship should never be underestimated.

What a beautiful book of recognising your own feelings in a difficult, uncertain situation. The idea of a massive family change not being as you expected was dealt with carefully. The two stories told over different time periods were told well - the characters were relatable and believable. I literally held me breath when Harby and Chollie were in the cave. There may be have been tears! Will Charlie be able to get back to Harby for another adventure though? A fantastic story that I can’t wait to share with children at school.

Charlie and friends live near the ancient Mandel Forest which serves as their adventure playground, hideout and excavation site. Charlie’s family is eagerly anticipating the birth of a much yearned for baby brother or sister, an event which happens during the night preceding Charlie’s birthday. Visiting Mum and baby for the first time and struggling to deal with unexpected and unwelcome feelings, Charlie flees to the forest, where a chance encounter sets in motion a fantastic adventure.
First person narration in the present tense gives the story a great pace and immediacy, so events unfold for the reader at the same time as for the characters. Charlie’s unspecified gender gives a universality to the experiences and emotions explored in the novel, further enhanced by the setting being at once familiar and alien. Mystery, danger and an urgent quest propel an exciting adventure, which at its heart is about the power of friendship in overcoming difficulties.
This is a very enjoyable read: a vividly realised setting and likeable characters with credible emotions draw the reader into the world of the story.

The Wild Way Home will tug at your heartstrings! Here are three reasons I would recommend this emotional, heartfelt story:

1. Charlie goes through a lot in this novel. His much longed for baby brother is seriously ill, and when he runs away - trying to make sense of the devastation, fear and guilt building inside him - he becomes stuck 6000 years in the past in a forest both alien and familiar. His emotional responses drive the plot and make this an extremely moving story.

2. Landscape and nature are really important in The Wild Way Home. Charlie loves living on the outskirts of Mandel Forest and knows its every track and cave. When he travels to the past, the forest comes alive in a new way, reflecting the wild, dangerous landscape of England long ago, with lynxes, bears and wolves round every bend. It was an exciting location which MG readers will love. The Stone Age sections will also be very popular with readers, and they felt very realistic and believable due to the descriptions and scene setting.

3. Home and family are at the very heart of this story. It will make you hug your loved ones a little bit tighter and makes a particularly heart warming story while stuck social distancing and unable to connect with family and nature as much as we might like.

The Wild Way Home is the perfect book-based antidote to weeks spent inside.

This was such an emotional book to read. It has been a number of years since I read Skellig, and found similar themes. The story focuses on two boys - Charlie and Harby. The parallelism between their lives at such changeable and challenging times in such young boys lives, has been so thoughtfully written.
Charlie had been looking forward to the arrival of his baby brother, but when he discovers that the baby has a heart problem, meeting him for the first time brings out emotions that shocks Charlie. Harby goes through a similar tear-jerking experience. Both boys are brought together when Charlie finds a deertooth in the forest and is transported back in time to the Stone Age, where he meets Harby. Both lives, even though they are thousands of years apart, are linked by the same emotions. By running away from heartbreaking feelings, Charlie and Harby hope to forget their uncomfortable emotions and therefore not have to deal with them.
The story follows these two boys surviving by themselves in the wilderness; encountering dangerous wild animals, death and vulnerability. This is an excellent book for Year 5/6 children or teachers to read with their class, as it deals with emotions that are not always easy to speak about. Good for Stone Age topic too as the different description between Harby's forest and Charlie's forest - even though it's the same one - is brilliant.

This was an absolutely beautiful read. Charlie is twelve, and dealing with the birth of his new brother who is ill in hospital. Upset and running away into the forest he loves, he slips back into the stone age and ends up helping a boy his age who has also lost his family. The themes of love and loss are heartfelt, and I would have to consider carefully whether to read this with a year five or six class- for some children, the subjects of death and illness in the family might be too upsetting. However, I found this much more positive and enjoyable than Skellig,a book with similar themes, and would much prefer to read this to a class. The landscape is described wonderfully and there are exciting chases and adventures. It would also link well to a study of the stone age or local settlements in the past.

Wow! What a powerful book. For those children who are experiencing difficult times whatever the circumstances, will realise it’s ok to be scared... to run away.... to pretend it’s not happened.
The complexity of the comparison between Charlie and his life and Harvey’s life in the Stone Age leads to a lot of in depth discussions with groups of children who read this book.
The fact that this book is based on The Stone Age will appeal to many a primary school teacher to use to enrich their topic as many schools do The Stone Age as a topic. I can’t think of a better book for year 5 and 6 which encompasses The Stone Age topic with the higher level language and reading skills required to real are to this book.

This book is an extraordinary feast for the senses. A story about the power of family, it also feels like a celebration of the ancient woodland of the British Isles, with a deep love of nature permeating every description of a majestic tree or the instinctive behaviour of a forest animal. The language resonates with nature-related similes; examples include the description of footprints in the sandy riverbank: “bird prints, like little letters in another language.” ancient flowers are “massive and speckled and wrong, like tongue-out faces with wavering tentacles.” Meat cooked in the smoke of a fire is “so tender I hardly have to chew and it’s delicious, like ham would be if ham was less pink and more wild.”

Charlie Merriam loves Mandel Forest which stands at the edge of his home and town, and knows every inch of it, having played there with his two best friends, Lamont and Beaky since their early childhoods. On the eve of his twelfth birthday Charlie finds a deer’s tooth on the forest floor which he picks up to add to his “Mandel Museum”. The following day Charlie goes to visit his much longed-for, newborn baby brother Dara only to find that his parents are devastated as Dara faces a life-saving heart operation. Unable to cope with the anguish, Charlie runs to the forest, from where he glimpses the multiple windows of the distant hospital looking like a fly’s compound eye, each seeing things from a slightly different perspective.

This is appropriate to Charlie’s sense of disorientation, when, after squeezing the deer tooth tightly in his hand he finds himself in altered surroundings. Although the familiar landmarks are recognisable, the forest seems wilder and the colours and sounds have taken on a greater intensity. Then he spots the body, face down in the stream…

Somehow, Charlie has time-slipped back to the stone-age! As he forges a relationship with Harby, the boy he rescues from the stream, he begins to realise that both of them are running from emotions too powerful to deal with. The primitive instincts for survival, for companionship, home and family are all explored.

The sense of a landscape linking the distant past with the present day is beautifully imagined in this emotional story, with the ancient Spirit Stone standing as the totemic link between past and present. The tale also conjured for me an evocation of a more carefree past when children spent their summers playing outside and roaming independently rather than being glued to a screen or tracked by worried parents through their digital devices.

This is an exciting and thought-provoking tale, with some deeply emotional moments and some episodes of heart-stopping, adrenaline-pumping, jeopardy. I would recommend it for readers in Year 6 and beyond, perfect for readers who have loved The last Wild trilogy by Piers Torday, The Explorer by Katherine Rundell or Stig of the Dump by Clive King.