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The Wild Girl
In the great wide wilderness, a little girl and her dog live alone in a cave high up on the mountainside. They are happy surviving on their own, until one day in the bitter cold of winter, they see bear tracks in the snow that lead right up to their cave . . . Charming illustrations bring life to this sweet story of courage and compassion, written and illustrated by award-winning author and illustrator Chris Wormell.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2005
About the author
Christopher Wormell
110 books30 followersChristopher Wormell is an English printmaker, principally known for his illustrated books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 24, 2013
Too many authors and illustrators have forgotten one of the main purposes of children’s stories – to prepare them, psychologically, for the trials and tribulations of adult life. Christopher Wormell hasn’t forgotten.
When I was a child, my favourite book was ‘The Wild Things’ by Maurice Sendak. I empathized with Max’s boyish urge to create mischief “of one kind and another”. Whilst revelling in the wildness and the fantastical drawings, deep down the story made me realise that a love of playful anarchy could land me with ne’er-do-wells and isolate me from people I truly cared about. The ‘Wild’ in Wormell’s children’s book drew me in – echoes of Sendak.
My high expectations were entirely met. I love reading this story to my children. I’m delighted that the hero is a heroine – too many children’s book heroes are boys. ‘Wild Girl’ has the narrative darkness of ‘The Wild Things’. The pictures are even more wonderfully malevolent – moody reality as opposed to art and craft monstrosity. And the Wild Girl is a better role model than Max – she is self-sufficient, brave, loving.
If, as they grow up, any of my children find themselves alone and vulnerable – I hope they remember the story of the Wild Girl. I hope they remember the shoeless child who, with a potent mixture of tenacity, empathy and acceptance, finds a positive resolution and improves on her situation – not worrying about the little things that don’t really matter, in the grand scheme of things. Things like fleas.
When I was a child, my favourite book was ‘The Wild Things’ by Maurice Sendak. I empathized with Max’s boyish urge to create mischief “of one kind and another”. Whilst revelling in the wildness and the fantastical drawings, deep down the story made me realise that a love of playful anarchy could land me with ne’er-do-wells and isolate me from people I truly cared about. The ‘Wild’ in Wormell’s children’s book drew me in – echoes of Sendak.
My high expectations were entirely met. I love reading this story to my children. I’m delighted that the hero is a heroine – too many children’s book heroes are boys. ‘Wild Girl’ has the narrative darkness of ‘The Wild Things’. The pictures are even more wonderfully malevolent – moody reality as opposed to art and craft monstrosity. And the Wild Girl is a better role model than Max – she is self-sufficient, brave, loving.
If, as they grow up, any of my children find themselves alone and vulnerable – I hope they remember the story of the Wild Girl. I hope they remember the shoeless child who, with a potent mixture of tenacity, empathy and acceptance, finds a positive resolution and improves on her situation – not worrying about the little things that don’t really matter, in the grand scheme of things. Things like fleas.
November 20, 2018
I don't think I have ever read a Wormell that I didn't think was smart, delicately touching and reassuring. The Wild Girl was a book my eldest (5) had picked up from the bookshop and one that he has asked to be read to him several times over.
Told entirely in third person with no direct speech from the girl (can she speak with words we would recognise?), The Wild Girl tells the story of a young, lonely girl and her dog living in a time and place that is vastly alien to us. With her flint-knapped spear and fur-hide clothing she braves the seasons at the top of a mountain calling out for any others like her but to no avail. One night she finds that her snug cave has been ransacked by a wondering bear and is left to fight for her space to survive in this harsh, bitterly lonely world.
Wormell is so delicate with his narrative and illustrations. Those enormous wide expanses show you the wilderness as too vast to comprehend and in order to understand her life, he writes to the child reader in a way that helps place her in a time beyond their own imagining. No schools. No shoes. No real home.
It may sound like a sad story but our protagonist is determined, strong and willing to fight with all that she has. It just so happens that the comfort and companionship that she is looking for is in the last place she thought it would be. I adored the final picture of her and the dog snuggled in the cave with her new family. This book should win prizes.
Told entirely in third person with no direct speech from the girl (can she speak with words we would recognise?), The Wild Girl tells the story of a young, lonely girl and her dog living in a time and place that is vastly alien to us. With her flint-knapped spear and fur-hide clothing she braves the seasons at the top of a mountain calling out for any others like her but to no avail. One night she finds that her snug cave has been ransacked by a wondering bear and is left to fight for her space to survive in this harsh, bitterly lonely world.
Wormell is so delicate with his narrative and illustrations. Those enormous wide expanses show you the wilderness as too vast to comprehend and in order to understand her life, he writes to the child reader in a way that helps place her in a time beyond their own imagining. No schools. No shoes. No real home.
It may sound like a sad story but our protagonist is determined, strong and willing to fight with all that she has. It just so happens that the comfort and companionship that she is looking for is in the last place she thought it would be. I adored the final picture of her and the dog snuggled in the cave with her new family. This book should win prizes.
January 21, 2013
The Wild Girl by Chris Wormell: Touching little book, love the twist in the story... could just read without words and get lost in the illustrations they're so beautiful.
October 11, 2018
Clearly a four, maybe a five star story of a cave/dwelling Wild Girl and her encounter with a bear and her cub. It’s not an accurate story - but heartwarming with a touch of silliness: the picture of the girl with her dog under one arm and the bear cub under the other is really touching and the final line made me grin from ear to ear.
August 12, 2017
This was a sweet and enjoyable read, with lovely illustrations. Although a bit irresponsible in its attitude towards dealing with bears.
October 5, 2017
This is a strange, but heartwarming tale of a young girl who finds a way to survive in the wild. The narrative is simple and short and the illustrations are wonderful.
I'm not sure that it sends the right message, especially concerning wild animals, but it's still a sweet tale. We enjoyed reading this book together, especially since we could snuggle up together in front of the fire while we read it.
I'm not sure that it sends the right message, especially concerning wild animals, but it's still a sweet tale. We enjoyed reading this book together, especially since we could snuggle up together in front of the fire while we read it.
April 27, 2014
A friend who knows I struggle with social issues and some other things gave me this book while I was going through a tough time and it spoke to my heart so much. I am glad there are authors who have the courage to write books for ALL the kids, even the ones who live alone and have ratty hair and calloused feet and sleep with animals and hunt for their food. <3 This book is precious and touching and teaches some nice lessons in a very sweet and simple way. I love it. Thank you, Chris Wormell!
July 28, 2011
Top of class!
September 30, 2020
Wormell has written a touching story of a girl who is surviving in the wild with only the company of her dog. She is faced with challenges every day and uses her knowledge and skill to overcome these. The writing and illustrations of the book are well thought out as well as intriguing for young children. This story takes children into a world where there is no school, no shoes and no one to look after you apart from yourself. As the wild girl faces her everyday challenges, she finds that one day her cave has been disturbed, she fights off the unwanted visitor however comes to realise that the visit wasn't what she thought it was. This is a lovely story with a touching storyline and a beautiful ending image.
October 15, 2020
Book about a girl who lives in the wild and her dog. They come across a bear but the bear doesn't attack them - it just want to find it's mum! The eventually find each other and all the characters sleep snuggled together to keep warm. I think this book would likely be best for ks2 children due to the amount of text, however could also be used in ks1 if read aloud to the children. It was be interesting to ask children questions about this book such as 'where are they? why is the girl alone? where did the dog come from? how did the girl get there in the first place? where are her parents?' Would definitely recommend reading this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2019
Good book which tells the story of a cave girl and her dog who only spend their time together. One day the cave girl and her dog come back to their cave and discovers there are bear footprints leading into the cave. They see a big, female bear and they scare it off, not realising that there is a baby bear in the cave. Both the girl and dog realise that the bear is good, not bad and try to find the mother bear to reunite it with their baby. The illustrations are detailed and limited which creates impact and emotion towards the story.
October 15, 2020
A story about a little girl and her small dog, living out alone in the wilderness. They survive by learning to hunt and keeping warm in their cave, high on the mountain. One day, they find large tracks leading up to their cave to whom they meet something unexpected.
I like this book as it presents the characters in a non-stereotypical manner, with the little girl being portrayed as a strong leader who is willing to fight for her family and the bear being seen as loving and protective.
I like this book as it presents the characters in a non-stereotypical manner, with the little girl being portrayed as a strong leader who is willing to fight for her family and the bear being seen as loving and protective.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2019
a beautifully illustrated story that helps teach children about the potentially harsher parts of life, she isn't cared for by an adult so she must care for and provide for herself. It can help children to understand that wild animals are not savage but act in response to things, ie looking for their cub.
October 21, 2020
The Wild Girl is a loving story that can be told to children to show them kindness and triumph. I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it can be told in such a gentle way and is a book that seems like it would be told to children over and over to give them a sense of calmness. I enjoyed the ending as it shows children that families can come in different shapes and sizes.
October 4, 2017
Um, ok? Both me and my inner child found this unsatisfying. What's going on here? It doesn't make sense taken literally, and as a metaphor or parable it's incomplete (or something).
March 11, 2019
Awwwww! This is absolutely adorable and so heart warming.
March 13, 2019
Stunning book. Loved this so much.
September 18, 2019
I was not expecting it to get so sad!
October 16, 2024
It's nice to read a biography about my childhood.
November 6, 2024
Overlong buildup and unsatisfactory denouement. Some nice touches but not up to the standard of Wormell's earlier The Sea Monster.
March 23, 2026
Great picture book, evocative.
October 25, 2019
Simply beautiful.
May 26, 2014
This is a story for younger readers to ponder. A young girl live alone in some mountains, no one to brush hair, wash face, or tie shoelaces. In fact, she has no shoes. But she is surviving, and soon, she and her dog have their biggest adventure, with a bear! It's a story of survival and courage and compassion. I suspect the book should be read aloud, because there will be lots of questions! The illustrations are gorgeous, showing the girl's life well. If one takes the story literally, I had a few questions, like how does the girl start a fire, and why is she alone? But, if taken as rather a fanciful story, reminding me of other stories that are just that, stories, quite a bit improbable, but "possible", it works beautifully.
March 7, 2016
A tale of a little girl and her dog who live like cavemen. She doesn't know why she's the only one around and she often searches the horizon for smoke from fires of other people. She and her dog live in a cave and one day they come face to face with a bear. The little girl scares the bear away, only to discover it was looking for it's cub. The bear returns and the cub, girl, dog, and bear have the coziest winter in the cave together.
Illustrations are good.
Illustrations are good.
July 23, 2016
A fabulous tale of compassion. This is a really sweet tale of a young girl in the wilds of the world. With her little dog in tow, she comes upon a creature of the unknown and mistakenly bases her actions on fear and prejudice. Compassion wins the day and our small warrior comes to a greater understanding of the world and herself. This tale also touches on the values of individuality and the need for interdependence.
November 30, 2012
I would read this book, and stop just before the last couple of pages. I would have the students write either a begining (where did this girl come from, how did she end up alone) or write and ending about what happend after they see the bear tracks.
December 11, 2013
The Wormell stories are just so unusual. The kids are quiet and curious. How can a little girl live all by herself in the mountains? But she does, with the help of a big scary bear whom she befriends.
September 30, 2008
This picture book is cute! In a kind of a warm, fuzzy way. A girl and her dog live alone in the wilderness, except that they have fleas. But then one day, there are bear tracks near their cave...
December 8, 2008
This is all around our favorite; illustrations,story and moral...don't miss.
January 20, 2009
I felt there was too much of an introduction/background before the conflict became apparent (on page 14). Then the conflict resolution felt too quick. Overall, this one felt top heavy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews