What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wild Ones
Not yet published
Expected 2 Mar 27'The old familiar world had gone. Out there in the cold and gusting
dark, something new and unknown was waiting...'
Scamp lives at a pet care centre. He has friends, food
and a warm bed. But one terrible night - the Night of the Great
Growl - his world changes for ever.
The people have vanished and all that's left outside are the
vicious, starving beasts that roam the ruined city. Driven
into the wilds - with Chandelier the cat, Punzel the rabbit, Patticake
the dachshund, Falstaff the parrot and hamsters Nudge and
Wink - Scamp sets off in search of safety.
On their epic journey, Scamp must discover his own wildness if
he's to lead the pets to the one thing they so desperately need
- a new home.
A moving, beautifully written survival quest story perfect for
fans of I AM REBEL.
Set to win the hearts of children the world over.
With irresistible full-page illustrations.
dark, something new and unknown was waiting...'
Scamp lives at a pet care centre. He has friends, food
and a warm bed. But one terrible night - the Night of the Great
Growl - his world changes for ever.
The people have vanished and all that's left outside are the
vicious, starving beasts that roam the ruined city. Driven
into the wilds - with Chandelier the cat, Punzel the rabbit, Patticake
the dachshund, Falstaff the parrot and hamsters Nudge and
Wink - Scamp sets off in search of safety.
On their epic journey, Scamp must discover his own wildness if
he's to lead the pets to the one thing they so desperately need
- a new home.
A moving, beautifully written survival quest story perfect for
fans of I AM REBEL.
Set to win the hearts of children the world over.
With irresistible full-page illustrations.
- GenresAdventure
224 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 2, 2027
About the author
Steve Cole
310 books109 followersAlso publishes as Stephen Cole.
Steve Cole is the slightly crazy, highly frantic, millions-selling, non-stop author of Astrosaurs, Cows In Action, Astrosaurs Academy, The Slime Squad, Z. Rex and many other books (including several original Doctor Who stories).
He used to edit magazines and books but prefers the job of a writer where you can wear pyjamas and eat chocolate all day.
Steve just can't stop writing - if he does, strange robots appear and jostle him vigorously until he starts again.
In his spare time he loves making music, reading old comics, thinking up ideas for new books and slumping in front of a warm TV.
Steve Cole is the slightly crazy, highly frantic, millions-selling, non-stop author of Astrosaurs, Cows In Action, Astrosaurs Academy, The Slime Squad, Z. Rex and many other books (including several original Doctor Who stories).
He used to edit magazines and books but prefers the job of a writer where you can wear pyjamas and eat chocolate all day.
Steve just can't stop writing - if he does, strange robots appear and jostle him vigorously until he starts again.
In his spare time he loves making music, reading old comics, thinking up ideas for new books and slumping in front of a warm TV.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Animal dystopia/apocalypse story for a younger audience than usual.
A mixture of The Incredible Journey, The Walking Dead and I Am Legend. A combination you wouldn't expect for the age range.
This starts in an animal shelter, with a small group of animals cared for by Pam, finding their world suddenly changes with what seems like a wide-ranging environmental event that sees their human friend locking the doors and stopping them going outside.
Scamp is just as puzzled as the others. Not understanding what has happened, something that readers never find out a definite answer to either, the animals also worry when Pam leaves the shelter and doesn't return. With food running low and frightening animals trying to get in, Scamp eventually leads the others into the outside world to try and find safety.
Each individual has a quirky personality, with Nudge and Wink the hamsters obsessed with seeds, ageing dachshund Patticake, Shakespeare-quoting parrot Falstaff and Punzel the rabbit as part of the group, Scamp leads them (to the chagrin of cat Chandelier).
The world of these animals is a slightly scary one for readers, with other animals out there in a human-free world that mean harm bringing tension. The group work together to understand the changed climate and seek their missing human or a new safe place.
There's several incidents that are exciting, tense and scary, there is a lot that young readers may not have seen before in books or films, it's a genre that usually isn't attempted with readers under 13.
Cole tiptoes well through the possible minefields of explaining the event that's caused the animals to need to leave their home, as well as navigating them through a dystopia that could be potentially horrific - while they are in danger many times, there's a sense of finality and peace by the end that makes this a safer read than it could have been.
Some lovely characters here, some twists that readers may find shocking, and this isn't for kids who are prone to nightmares or worrying about the state of the world.
One for ages 9/10 and above.
With thanks to the publisher for providing a sample reading copy.
A mixture of The Incredible Journey, The Walking Dead and I Am Legend. A combination you wouldn't expect for the age range.
This starts in an animal shelter, with a small group of animals cared for by Pam, finding their world suddenly changes with what seems like a wide-ranging environmental event that sees their human friend locking the doors and stopping them going outside.
Scamp is just as puzzled as the others. Not understanding what has happened, something that readers never find out a definite answer to either, the animals also worry when Pam leaves the shelter and doesn't return. With food running low and frightening animals trying to get in, Scamp eventually leads the others into the outside world to try and find safety.
Each individual has a quirky personality, with Nudge and Wink the hamsters obsessed with seeds, ageing dachshund Patticake, Shakespeare-quoting parrot Falstaff and Punzel the rabbit as part of the group, Scamp leads them (to the chagrin of cat Chandelier).
The world of these animals is a slightly scary one for readers, with other animals out there in a human-free world that mean harm bringing tension. The group work together to understand the changed climate and seek their missing human or a new safe place.
There's several incidents that are exciting, tense and scary, there is a lot that young readers may not have seen before in books or films, it's a genre that usually isn't attempted with readers under 13.
Cole tiptoes well through the possible minefields of explaining the event that's caused the animals to need to leave their home, as well as navigating them through a dystopia that could be potentially horrific - while they are in danger many times, there's a sense of finality and peace by the end that makes this a safer read than it could have been.
Some lovely characters here, some twists that readers may find shocking, and this isn't for kids who are prone to nightmares or worrying about the state of the world.
One for ages 9/10 and above.
With thanks to the publisher for providing a sample reading copy.
June 18, 2026
This was a brutal, emotional, no-safety-net kind of read in the best and worst way. It constantly reminds you how ruthless the world becomes when animals are stripped of the safety of home and left to survive outside, surrounded by danger at every turn. There is very little relief. It is tension after tension, loss after loss, and at times it feels almost overwhelming in how relentless it is.
I was also surprised by how the cats were portrayed in a more antagonistic light. I did not fully agree at first… and then I looked at my own cats and thought, yeah, they would absolutely survive an apocalypse and leave me behind without hesitation 😭
What really carries the story is the emotional uncertainty. There is betrayal, shifting alliances, and moments where you genuinely do not know who will make it out alive. It keeps you uneasy in a way that feels intentional, not accidental.
At the centre of it all is Scamp, the dog, whose loyalty and trust make him incredibly grounding. He feels like the emotional anchor of the entire journey, and honestly, I just wanted to give him the biggest hug for everything he goes through.
It really does feel like a “dog-eat-dog” world, and even when hope appears, it never fully settles, which in a strange way makes it feel more honest and reflective of real life than most stories dare to be.
The fate of the humans is never clearly explained, and that ambiguity feels deliberate, like the story is asking the reader to sit with that uncertainty themselves.
Overall, it is a difficult but memorable read, intense, emotional, and unsettling in the best way.
I was also surprised by how the cats were portrayed in a more antagonistic light. I did not fully agree at first… and then I looked at my own cats and thought, yeah, they would absolutely survive an apocalypse and leave me behind without hesitation 😭
What really carries the story is the emotional uncertainty. There is betrayal, shifting alliances, and moments where you genuinely do not know who will make it out alive. It keeps you uneasy in a way that feels intentional, not accidental.
At the centre of it all is Scamp, the dog, whose loyalty and trust make him incredibly grounding. He feels like the emotional anchor of the entire journey, and honestly, I just wanted to give him the biggest hug for everything he goes through.
It really does feel like a “dog-eat-dog” world, and even when hope appears, it never fully settles, which in a strange way makes it feel more honest and reflective of real life than most stories dare to be.
The fate of the humans is never clearly explained, and that ambiguity feels deliberate, like the story is asking the reader to sit with that uncertainty themselves.
Overall, it is a difficult but memorable read, intense, emotional, and unsettling in the best way.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Wild Ones
By Steve Cole
Published by Scholastic
Do you love your pets?
Who doesn’t?
But when a strange post-apocalyptic happening occurs everything changes: the humans run for their lives, the landscape is destroyed, the earth is nothing like is was before!
And the pets? Trapped inside their homes.
Will they survive alone without their humans?
Or will the strange and vicious ‘Things’ take over?
Cole has written an energetic story of survival from the pet’s perspective.
A story full of friendship and loyalty that will touch your heart contrasted with many dangers and questions along the way.
How do you survive without your human?
Who do you trust?
Who has your back?
Will you survive alone or as a team?
This exciting middle-grade adventure speaks volumes from the pets view point, something we can only dream about! If only your pet could talk - well here they do and what fun it is to read!
Perfect for animal lovers of any age.
Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.
By Steve Cole
Published by Scholastic
Do you love your pets?
Who doesn’t?
But when a strange post-apocalyptic happening occurs everything changes: the humans run for their lives, the landscape is destroyed, the earth is nothing like is was before!
And the pets? Trapped inside their homes.
Will they survive alone without their humans?
Or will the strange and vicious ‘Things’ take over?
Cole has written an energetic story of survival from the pet’s perspective.
A story full of friendship and loyalty that will touch your heart contrasted with many dangers and questions along the way.
How do you survive without your human?
Who do you trust?
Who has your back?
Will you survive alone or as a team?
This exciting middle-grade adventure speaks volumes from the pets view point, something we can only dream about! If only your pet could talk - well here they do and what fun it is to read!
Perfect for animal lovers of any age.
Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you Scholastic for our arc copy.
The wild ones follows Scamp the Jack Russell , Patticake the dachshund, Punzel the rabbit, Chandelier the cat, Falstaff the parrot and Wink and Nudge the hamsters as they navigate an unfamiliar world after the night of the ‘Great Growl’.
Part homeward bound part bird box, this was a refreshing read that doesn’t shy away from emotional and dark scenes. The story is well written so as to portray the peril in a thrilling but child friendly way. No gore or nightmare inducing scenes here but you will find yourself unable to put this book down, with a need to know if everyone is ok.
The ‘wild ones’ pet friends show how working together, working to your strengths and trusting your gut instincts are important in tough situations. As I said before the book doesn’t shy away from the darker side of things or sugar coat the negatives of a life or death situation.
I hope that we get to see this lovable band of misfits again as it feels like they have much more to say, bark or squeak.
The wild ones follows Scamp the Jack Russell , Patticake the dachshund, Punzel the rabbit, Chandelier the cat, Falstaff the parrot and Wink and Nudge the hamsters as they navigate an unfamiliar world after the night of the ‘Great Growl’.
Part homeward bound part bird box, this was a refreshing read that doesn’t shy away from emotional and dark scenes. The story is well written so as to portray the peril in a thrilling but child friendly way. No gore or nightmare inducing scenes here but you will find yourself unable to put this book down, with a need to know if everyone is ok.
The ‘wild ones’ pet friends show how working together, working to your strengths and trusting your gut instincts are important in tough situations. As I said before the book doesn’t shy away from the darker side of things or sugar coat the negatives of a life or death situation.
I hope that we get to see this lovable band of misfits again as it feels like they have much more to say, bark or squeak.
July 30, 2026
Rescue pets at a pet store are left to fend for themselves after their carer goes outside to find out if any help can be found after a catastrophic event has occurred that kept them all trapped inside for so long.
Things have been watching the store and events unfold so the animals must hold to their friendship and look after eachother as they head out to find paradise, where they hope to find their person and survivors.
But it's not as easy to get to their destination as there are scary things outside and they must use all their particular skills & work as a team to survive.
I thought this was a glorious adventure similar to The Animals of Farthing Wood and The Incredible Journey.
I did have a little cry at the end as it was a sweet happy ending to all the trials sent to them and I had gotten very attached to the characters.
I'll always be telling all dogs how good they are.
The perfect chapter book for confident readers 8-13 years to read out loud or share with your reading buddy.
Things have been watching the store and events unfold so the animals must hold to their friendship and look after eachother as they head out to find paradise, where they hope to find their person and survivors.
But it's not as easy to get to their destination as there are scary things outside and they must use all their particular skills & work as a team to survive.
I thought this was a glorious adventure similar to The Animals of Farthing Wood and The Incredible Journey.
I did have a little cry at the end as it was a sweet happy ending to all the trials sent to them and I had gotten very attached to the characters.
I'll always be telling all dogs how good they are.
The perfect chapter book for confident readers 8-13 years to read out loud or share with your reading buddy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Loved reading this to my child each night. He was engaged the whole way though and really enjoy it.
I love how it showed working in/with a team, gut feeling should be listened to and how to work with your strengths. Some really good life lessons
I love how it showed working in/with a team, gut feeling should be listened to and how to work with your strengths. Some really good life lessons
Review of advance copy
4.3 stars. (Published in March 2027 GoodReads? Really?) I love a good animal story and this hit the spot. By no means original since "pets learning to survive in a tough world" in not a new concept, but if it's done right, I have no complaints. And this one was done right. Good writing, great characterization & character growth, pacing, conclusion and payout. Wonderful read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews