The Wilderness

Available
4.9/5.0
21,000+ Reviews
Bookshop.org has the highest-rated customer service of any bookstore in the world
Product Details
Price
$17.99  $16.73
Publisher
Candlewick Press (MA)
Publish Date
Pages
40
Dimensions
10.0 X 11.9 X 0.5 inches | 1.2 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9781536231373

Earn by promoting books

Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.

Become an affiliate
About the Author
Steve McCarthy is an Irish designer, illustrator, and author. His early career was devoted to traditional animation and background design, most notably for the 2015 Oscar-nominated animated feature film Song of the Sea. He is also the illustrator of A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea; The One with the Waggly Tail; and Sally Go Round the Stars, all by Sarah Webb. The Wilderness is his author-illustrator debut and was inspired by the freedom of his homeschooled childhood. Steve McCarthy lives in southeast London.
Reviews
When [Oktober] does encounter the Wilderness, adorable in an entertaining vertical gatefold, our hero learns to shift perspective. The tactile seeming digital illustrations are motion-filled, rounded-edged, and cozily autumnal.
--The Horn Book

Cautious Oktober avoids the unpredictable outdoors...until he finds himself face to face with the Wilderness. . . . This story is an effective metaphor for conquering fears. Oktober is a likable, wide-eyed bookworm, stronger and more adventurous than he realizes. Fittingly, McCarthy's sweeping landscapes are full of gorgeous earth tones with rolling fog, mossy waterfalls, and piles of autumnal leaves adeptly brought to life. The endpapers serve as an intriguing visual glossary of fictional plants and animals. . . . A rich, imaginative world inhabited by believable, endearing humans.
--Kirkus Reviews

The friendly, funny story is perfect for young readers struggling with fears and anxiety, and the lively autumnal illustrations brim with glowing tones and delightful details, from snug bunk beds for each of the 12 children to tiny bits of flora and fauna. An empathetic entreaty to face fears and embrace life's adventures.
--Booklist

We often resist shedding that which no longer serves us. Most adults need more practice with letting go, and children need modeling and guidance from the grownups in their lives to learn how to do it themselves. The joint approach is narrated beautifully in Steve McCarthy's Wilderness.
--Literary Hub