Where the World Turns Wild

Juniper Greene lives in a walled city from which nature has been banished, following the outbreak of a deadly man-made disease many years earlier. While most people seem content to live in such a cage, she and her little brother Bear have always known about their resistance to the disease, and dream of escaping into the wild. To the one place humans have survived outside of cities. To where their mother is.

When scientists discover that the siblings provide the key to fighting the disease, the pair must flee for their lives. As they cross the barren Buffer Zone and journey into the unknown, Juniper and Bear can only guess at the dangers that lie ahead. Nature can be cruel as well as kind... Will they ever find the home they’ve been searching for? {goodreads summary}

I adored Where the World Turns Wild. It's necessary and important, but also extremely well written, with wonderful characters and a gripping plot. I will be buying it for all the middle grade readers I know. Here are three reasons why:

1) The relationship between Juniper and Bear was really special. I loved their interactions and the fierce love they felt for each other. My own daughter is five, and it was emotional to imagine her undertaking Bear's journey. 

2) Children's stories about the environment, and particularly the aftermath of ecological disaster, is topical and important. Where the World Turns Wild is a stark imagining of the climate crisis, and the colossal human loss that could come from ignoring it. There are a lot of dark aspects to this story and it leaves you with plenty to think about. I haven't been able to stop worrying about Juniper and Bear's world since I finished. This is a novel that will touch the hearts of young readers and encourage them to fight for their future. 

3) I loved Ghost, who stays with Juniper and Bear throughout their journey and is a constant source of hope and comfort. She also symbolises the amazing relationship between humanity and the wild, how we need and rely on each other and the ways we can work together if we're paying attention. 

I also really enjoyed how Penfold introduced more complex vocabulary, both through Juniper and Bear's clever word game (which I'm determined to start playing with my daughter) and Juniper's memory of the old dictionary she read. 

Penfold is a debut author to watch - I'll definitely be reading whatever she writes next. Thank you Stripes Publishing for allowing me to read and review Where the World Turns Wild via Netgalley.