The Wild Before

Can one hare alone change the world? The captivating animal adventure destined to be loved by readers of all ages. A stunning paperback edition from the bestselling, much-loved author, Piers Torday.

One stormy, snowy night, a pure silver calf is born on an ordinary muddy farm by the light of the moon. This is the legendary Mooncalf, whose arrival has been foretold since the dawn of time.

According to a dream passed down from animal to animal, if the calf dies, a great terribleness will come - rising seas, a plague, skies raining down fire, the end of all things... and Little Hare vows to persuade all the animals to protect Mooncalf, whatever the cost.

But it's easier said than done, and soon Little Hare realises that he is the only one who can save the world...

A stunning prequel to the award-winning, bestselling The Last Wild trilogy, touching on timely themes of climate change, friendship, and above all, hope.

'Piers Torday is the new master of books for children' The Times

'an unforgettable story of hope and friendship' The Bookseller

“Gripping, original and memorable”

The Last Wild trilogy won the Guardian Children's FIction Prize and is one of the finest children's adventures of the past decade. Now, Torday returns with a prequel set years before the redeye virus has taken hold, when a young hare is the world's only hope of avoiding disaster. I absolutely loved this stunning animal adventure, every bit as accomplished as the original trilogy, although it could also be read as a satisfying standalone. Timely themes of climate change are woven into an unforgettable story of hope and friendship. The Bookseller - Editor's Choice

An extraordinary book, a fable of our time.Torday creates a truly deep and timely tale and a magnificent prologue to The Last Wild Trilogy. Unsettling parallels to climate change and the underlying causes of the global pandemic, this story will make us think about the impact humans have upon the planet. Astonishing storytelling. I loved it.

Gill Lewis, author of Sky Hawk and A Street Dog Named Pup
Written in vivid and urgent style ... As thrilling as James and the Giant Peach ... The Last Wild may be as critical to the new generation as Tarka the Otter The Times on The Last Wild trilogy
Piers Torday continues to demonstrate that he is one of the best writers for children working today The Guardian, on There May Be a Castle
-- Francesca Simon, on The Last Wild trilogy

A stunning, timely and beautifully-written novel about the urgency of saving our planet. We need stories like The Wild Before more than ever, if only so children know they are not alone.

Amy Raphael, Author of The Forest of Moon and Stars

Piers Torday began his career in theatre and then television as a producer and writer. His first book for children, The Last Wild, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Award and nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal. His second book, The Dark Wild, won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. There May Be A Castle was a People's Book Award finalist and a Times Children's Book of the Year. The Lost Magician was a Book of the Year in six national newspapers and won the Teach Primary Book Award. The follow up, The Frozen Sea, was published in 2019. Piers has also completed an unfinished novel by his late father Paul (author of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, The Death of an Owl) and adapted The Box of Delights and A Christmas Carol for the stage.

Can one hare alone change the world? The captivating animal adventure destined to be loved by readers of all ages. A stunning paperback edition from the bestselling, much-loved author, Piers Torday.One stormy, snowy night, a pure silver calf is born on an ordinary muddy farm by the light of the moon. This is the legendary Mooncalf, whose arrival has been foretold since the dawn of time.According to a dream passed down from animal to animal, if the calf dies, a great terribleness will come - rising seas, a plague, skies raining down fire, the end of all things... and Little Hare vows to persuade all the animals to protect Mooncalf, whatever the cost.But it's easier said than done, and soon Little Hare realises that he is the only one who can save the world... A stunning prequel to the award-winning, bestselling The Last Wild trilogy, touching on timely themes of climate change, friendship, and above all, hope. 'Piers Torday is the new master of books for children' The Times 'an unforgettable story of hope and friendship' The Bookseller

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