There was once a town alongside a river. It was a prosperous trading town and its people were content. At least until something ‘ate’ its river.

A marsh grew out of nowhere, swallowing the water, the trade and the land, leaving only an impenetrable wasteland of black sludge, greedy quicksand and an absence of life.

One day a young child walked out of this marsh – all mud and muck, with black eyes and an ever circling falcon watching over her from high above. The local wise woman is the only one to reach out to this strange child. With no name, she calls her Rhodd (pronounced Roth), and takes her home with her.

As the town slowly dies without the river, this child is blamed for its downfall. She knows she is somehow made from the marsh, but doesn’t remember anything before stumbling out of it. She knows she must remember what the marsh is, and after years pass she knows she cannot ignore it any longer. Her mother has fallen ill like so many villagers before her, and Rhodd is the only one who can save her.

Find the river. Confront whatever stole it. Bring life back to those she loves.

I was hooked from the first page! Wilder is a wild read. A girl (or is she something else?) doesn’t know where she came from, but as her world implodes she knows she must confront her past.

Set hundreds of years ago, Wilder is part historical and part fantasy, with a touch of witchery.

I couldn’t read fast enough wanting to know what stole a river, just as much as character Rhodd didn’t want to know. With a thought provoking afterword to ensure the reader doesn’t forget Wilder anytime soon, this is my favourite middle-grade read so far in 2023.

Author – Penny Chrimes

Age – 10+

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(2023, Hachette, Swamp, Marsh, Quicksand, River, Greed, Village, Superstition, Wild, Animals, Drought, Poverty, Disease, Hate, Anger, Courage, Fear, Friendship, Bullies, Witch, Magic, Falcon, Quest, water, Talk to Animals, Environment, Progress, Fantasy, Adventure, Action)