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Wild song
A boy overcomes his fear of water and connects with nature in this powerful novel of transformation
Thirteen-year-old Niilo's unruly behaviour means his loving parents sent him to Wild School, a young offender's unit on an island in the Finnish archipelago. Angry at first, eventually he comes to enjoy being there and builds a close relationship with his mentor, Hannu, who helps him face his demons and overcome his lifelong fear of water. But when Niilo hears Hannu is leaving, he is so upset he decides to run away. Escaping is one thing, but living alone in the wild is completely different and it tests Niilo to the utmost, especially as his fear of water still haunts him.
With the help of a seal, Hannu eventually finds Niilo, but on the way back to Wild School Niilo is thrown into the water and experiences a revelation that will change his life for the better.
Thirteen-year-old Niilo's unruly behaviour means his loving parents sent him to Wild School, a young offender's unit on an island in the Finnish archipelago. Angry at first, eventually he comes to enjoy being there and builds a close relationship with his mentor, Hannu, who helps him face his demons and overcome his lifelong fear of water. But when Niilo hears Hannu is leaving, he is so upset he decides to run away. Escaping is one thing, but living alone in the wild is completely different and it tests Niilo to the utmost, especially as his fear of water still haunts him.
With the help of a seal, Hannu eventually finds Niilo, but on the way back to Wild School Niilo is thrown into the water and experiences a revelation that will change his life for the better.
272 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2015
About the author
Janis Mackay
24 books31 followersI am from Edinburgh, have travelled a lot, lived in France, Palestine, Greece, London, Sussex, the far north of Scotland, and am now living in the beautiful Scottish Borders with a partner, a writing hut and a river in my garden. I always wanted to be a writer but following advice to get ‘a proper job’ I took myself off to the big city of London when I was just nineteen and trained to be a journalist. By 21 I was a journalist on Fleet Street – but soon realised this wasn’t the kind of writing I wanted to do. So off I went – round the world having all kinds of adventures – sailing yachts, sleeping on beaches, looking after children, working on kibbutz…then back to Scotland for more adventures – looking after children with learning disabilities then studying speech and drama. I became a storyteller, drama teacher and voice teacher. I did this for a long while – which was a great learning for a writer, then I remembered my childhood dream – to be a writer. So I took myself off to university, did an MA in creative writing at Sussex University – and wrote!
The Scottish Arts Council sent me up to the far north of Scotland to be a writer in residence. I didn’t even know where Caithness was but that’s where I went, and soon realised Scotland wasn’t as small as I had thought. It’s miles away! I lived there for five years – in a cottage on the beach writing books about the sea and seals and was lucky to win the Kelpies prize 2009 for my first novel – Magnus Fin and the Ocean Quest. (I say first novel but actually I had several other novels gathering dust in drawers.) So since 2007 I have been what you might call ‘a writer.’ And sometimes doing other related things like storytelling and voice teaching.
I went to Duddingston primary school and Portobello High school where I learnt to touch type, speak French, a bit of German, play squash and spell. I suppose I must have learnt a few social skills as there were two and a half thousand of us at Portobello High school!
I was a child and teenage athlete and I am really glad about that. The Commonwealth Games came to Edinburgh when I was about ten and it was very inspiring and I went along to the races with my dad. Then I joined the Edinburgh Southern harriers and spent the next five years running and jumping and throwing a discus, but mostly running and going off all over Scotland on Saturdays to run up hills cross country. I am pretty fit and healthy now and I think that gave me a good boost.
When I visit schools with my Magnus Fin novels children often ask what books I read as a child and I usually answer (rather embarrassed) Mallory Towers! I wanted to be that girl in the attic who wrote stories. But before that, when I was very wee, I loved nursery rhymes, and like athletics I think they gave me a boost into being a writer. I love language and sounds and I remember being really young and loving the sound on my tongue of nursery rhymes like Doctor Foster went to Gloucester or – with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, she shall have music where ever she goes!
The Scottish Arts Council sent me up to the far north of Scotland to be a writer in residence. I didn’t even know where Caithness was but that’s where I went, and soon realised Scotland wasn’t as small as I had thought. It’s miles away! I lived there for five years – in a cottage on the beach writing books about the sea and seals and was lucky to win the Kelpies prize 2009 for my first novel – Magnus Fin and the Ocean Quest. (I say first novel but actually I had several other novels gathering dust in drawers.) So since 2007 I have been what you might call ‘a writer.’ And sometimes doing other related things like storytelling and voice teaching.
I went to Duddingston primary school and Portobello High school where I learnt to touch type, speak French, a bit of German, play squash and spell. I suppose I must have learnt a few social skills as there were two and a half thousand of us at Portobello High school!
I was a child and teenage athlete and I am really glad about that. The Commonwealth Games came to Edinburgh when I was about ten and it was very inspiring and I went along to the races with my dad. Then I joined the Edinburgh Southern harriers and spent the next five years running and jumping and throwing a discus, but mostly running and going off all over Scotland on Saturdays to run up hills cross country. I am pretty fit and healthy now and I think that gave me a good boost.
When I visit schools with my Magnus Fin novels children often ask what books I read as a child and I usually answer (rather embarrassed) Mallory Towers! I wanted to be that girl in the attic who wrote stories. But before that, when I was very wee, I loved nursery rhymes, and like athletics I think they gave me a boost into being a writer. I love language and sounds and I remember being really young and loving the sound on my tongue of nursery rhymes like Doctor Foster went to Gloucester or – with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, she shall have music where ever she goes!
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 23, 2020
This book follows Niilo who is a very angry young boy and him being sent to a special school where he can find his story again. The start and end of the book is especially good but I did struggle a bit in the middle where it did seem to go on a bit. I can’t quite imagine reading it to children either.
September 17, 2015
sepertinya ini buku pertama yang gw baca yang mengambil setting di Finlandia. buku ini juga banyak bercerita tentang legenda rakyat Finlandia. membacanya seperti diajak mengenal Finlandia dari dekat.
tokoh utama dari kisah ini adalah Niilo, remaja pria berusia 13 tahun yang memiliki tabiat kasar. karena itu Niilo dikirim ke sekolah alam yang terletak di sebuah pulau. di sekolah itu, tanpa Niilo sadari Niilo dipertemukan dengan dirinya yang sebenarnya.
some people have scars on the outside and some have them on the inside.
tokoh utama dari kisah ini adalah Niilo, remaja pria berusia 13 tahun yang memiliki tabiat kasar. karena itu Niilo dikirim ke sekolah alam yang terletak di sebuah pulau. di sekolah itu, tanpa Niilo sadari Niilo dipertemukan dengan dirinya yang sebenarnya.
some people have scars on the outside and some have them on the inside.
December 27, 2015
The best book I have ever read. Such an inspirational story and it was in the best location in the world!
March 29, 2017
I really liked the main characters in the book, my favourite was the seal, I liked that he followed Niilo around.
October 18, 2019
I really enjoyed this little book.
I’m trying to widen the kinds of novels I read as I’m drawn mainly to fantasy. So when I saw this story about a young boy with behavioural issues who is taken to a ‘Wild School’ in the hopes that he could be reached, I thought it might be a nice change.
I was correct in one sense: it was very nice! The characters were relatable and well built, especially the narrator Niilo. I saw myself reflected in the character, even though I have had almost the exact opposite issues than him. I could really understand through his narrative how I could be drawn do do the things he did, and that was immensely helpful from the perspective of a trainee teacher.
The writing style was very child friendly and although first person style is usually a pet peeve of mine, I found that the author really manipulated it well.
However! I still didn’t escape the fantasy genre all together.
The book is based around the mythology and ancestry of the Sami people of Lapland. And the great number of links to folk lore, mythology and magic had me very happy.
I found the book a lovely mix of both reality and fantasy, and the pace I read at really showed my how much I wanted to just keep reading about Niilo’s journey and uncover the secrets he held within himself.
I’m trying to widen the kinds of novels I read as I’m drawn mainly to fantasy. So when I saw this story about a young boy with behavioural issues who is taken to a ‘Wild School’ in the hopes that he could be reached, I thought it might be a nice change.
I was correct in one sense: it was very nice! The characters were relatable and well built, especially the narrator Niilo. I saw myself reflected in the character, even though I have had almost the exact opposite issues than him. I could really understand through his narrative how I could be drawn do do the things he did, and that was immensely helpful from the perspective of a trainee teacher.
The writing style was very child friendly and although first person style is usually a pet peeve of mine, I found that the author really manipulated it well.
However! I still didn’t escape the fantasy genre all together.
The book is based around the mythology and ancestry of the Sami people of Lapland. And the great number of links to folk lore, mythology and magic had me very happy.
I found the book a lovely mix of both reality and fantasy, and the pace I read at really showed my how much I wanted to just keep reading about Niilo’s journey and uncover the secrets he held within himself.
June 22, 2023
Premier livre que je lis depuis trop longtemps. Je l'ai terminé en deux jours et ce fut un merveilleux voyage.
Nous suivons le parcours d'un jeune homme en quête de son histoire, qui va vivre une merveilleuse aventure et se lier d'amitié avec une créature extraordinaire. Cela va le faire mûrir.
Janis Mackay nous offre de somptueux paysages finlandais, et nous conte des légendes sur les peuples de là-bas. C'est un roman très spirituel, addictif et très apaisant.
Ce fut une lecture magique.
Nous suivons le parcours d'un jeune homme en quête de son histoire, qui va vivre une merveilleuse aventure et se lier d'amitié avec une créature extraordinaire. Cela va le faire mûrir.
Janis Mackay nous offre de somptueux paysages finlandais, et nous conte des légendes sur les peuples de là-bas. C'est un roman très spirituel, addictif et très apaisant.
Ce fut une lecture magique.
April 7, 2021
Niilo Niilo Niilo, a troubled young man that would always dream of his deepest most fear which tormented him at night. The quest to defeat the formidable force eventually led him to confronting his fear - The sea. Through this he found out his story which eventually mended the shattered glass in his heart. One must search for their story or be led to it, each individual has a different story. Find yours :)
January 30, 2022
This is such a wonderfully written story by Scottish children’s author Janis Mackay. I read it to my older son a few years ago and now I’ve just finished reading it to his younger brothers ages 9 and 10. We are lucky to have a signed copy of the book having met the author at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh. “Wild song explores the healing power of friendship, nature and a need for the truth, no matter how much it hurts. “
January 23, 2026
A quietly powerful and deeply moving story. Niilo’s journey from anger and fear to trust and self-acceptance feels raw and real, especially his struggle with water and belonging. The relationship between Niilo and Hannu is beautifully written, and the island setting adds a strong sense of atmosphere and emotional depth. This book shows how nature, patience, and compassion can truly transform a young life. A thoughtful and uplifting read that stays with you long after the final page.
December 23, 2018
A pleasure to share reading this book with younger friends. A treasure chest of drama, tension, meaning, tears, wilderness, and true wild song of the soul. Highly recommended if you are looking for wild stories. Janis is a master storyteller.
October 19, 2022
My 11 year old and I read this, we loved it so much we gave it to my 79 year old father to read because this is a book for everyone. It is full of adventure, wisdom, stories of finding one's truth, forgiveness, and the secret animals bring to us. Read it, I promise you won't regret it.
October 26, 2017
Lovely book, loved it!
October 8, 2022
i do not like this book it was very boringJanis Mackayit is a waste of time and its har to read
April 10, 2026
A thoroughly good read and recommended, a light-ish and heart warming story.
May 6, 2015
Wild Song is a beautiful and enchanting book for children and adults alike. Janis Mackay spent a month on a Finnish Island on a writing residency, funded by Creative Scotland, to write this book, which sounds like a magical experience, and truly shows in the writing. The story follows Niilo, a 13 year old Finnish boy, who on top of having a terrible phobia of the sea, has horrible nightmares about drowning which drive him to spend his nights lying on the floor to avoid sleep, and disruptive anger issues which his parents can no longer deal with. Niilo is sent from Helsinki to live on a tiny island at the Wild School, where along with other boys who don't fit well with traditional education he is taught about nature, growing food, foraging, wood work and circus skills (among other things). Niilo's determination to 'free' drives him and he soon opens up to his case worker Hannu, who helps him search for his lost 'wild song'.
Five things I loved about Wild Song:
5-The Finnish and Saami folklore was beautifully integrated into the story through Hannu. Seeing Niilo slowly embrace these stories and look for meaning and comfort in them was a great way to show his journey to finding those lost memories.
4-Niilo's anger issues were compassionately portrayed. With Niilo as narrator the reader was able to see and understand the thinking behind his actions, as Niilo himself attempted to understand them. Never were his feeling patronised or belittled, as his own version of events were what guided the reader.
3-Niilo's astute awareness of Hannu's methods of pep-talking and encouragement were spot on. Again Mackay never patronises Niilo, or the reader. He is aware when Hannu is gently pushing an idea on him, or telling him a story with a particular lesson in mind. He is even aware when that story is something he doesn't want to hear, and so stops listening.
2-The Tove Jansson book in the wooden hut and Niilo wondering is maybe this island had been Tove's island. I love Tove Jansson's work so this reference gave me warm fuzzies when reading.
1-The seal! What a magical moment when the seal guides Niilo to shore, and helps him to fish, and keeps and eye on him. And the two seals popping up to greet Niilo and his mum, singing their wild song, was a perfect ending to a beautiful, thoughtful book.
Five things I loved about Wild Song:
5-The Finnish and Saami folklore was beautifully integrated into the story through Hannu. Seeing Niilo slowly embrace these stories and look for meaning and comfort in them was a great way to show his journey to finding those lost memories.
4-Niilo's anger issues were compassionately portrayed. With Niilo as narrator the reader was able to see and understand the thinking behind his actions, as Niilo himself attempted to understand them. Never were his feeling patronised or belittled, as his own version of events were what guided the reader.
3-Niilo's astute awareness of Hannu's methods of pep-talking and encouragement were spot on. Again Mackay never patronises Niilo, or the reader. He is aware when Hannu is gently pushing an idea on him, or telling him a story with a particular lesson in mind. He is even aware when that story is something he doesn't want to hear, and so stops listening.
2-The Tove Jansson book in the wooden hut and Niilo wondering is maybe this island had been Tove's island. I love Tove Jansson's work so this reference gave me warm fuzzies when reading.
1-The seal! What a magical moment when the seal guides Niilo to shore, and helps him to fish, and keeps and eye on him. And the two seals popping up to greet Niilo and his mum, singing their wild song, was a perfect ending to a beautiful, thoughtful book.
June 10, 2015
A truly amazing novel.
Janis Mackay is a brilliant author with lots of wonderful fantasy imagination. This is the first fantasy novel that I can say I enjoyed every page. Janis has an incredible story of Wild Song for young fans and adults to read.
The story of Wild Song has a young boy Niilo always getting into trouble. His parents have had just about enough of Niilo's unruly behaviour and send him off to a tiny island outside Helsinki to a wild school for naughty boys.
Once Niilo is at the wild school he hates it so much the only thing on his mind is to find a way to escape of the island.
Wild song explores the healing power of friendship, nature and the need for the truth, no matter how much it hurts. I would love to read more of Janis Mackay's novels.I highly recommend this truly amazing novel.
December 30, 2016
Niilo is a troubled kid who makes his parents lives very difficult with his bad behaviour so as a last resort they send him to the Wild School on an island to learn a different way of life. AT first Niilo resists the school and is uncommunicative and sullen until he starts to work with Hannu who teaches him how to become a valuable member of society and draws out of him slowly, his fears and resentments. When Niilo hears that Hannu is leaving the school to get married, he loses the trust he had begun to have with him and escapes the school to swim to a nearby island where he has to fend for himself and face his fears head on.
I enjoyed the flow of this book and you really feel for the characters when reading the story. When Niilo escapes the school the story becomes fraught and exciting as you are not entirely sure what is going to happen.
I enjoyed the flow of this book and you really feel for the characters when reading the story. When Niilo escapes the school the story becomes fraught and exciting as you are not entirely sure what is going to happen.
May 6, 2015
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is a book set in Finland, following Niilo, a boy with problematic behaviour who is hence sent to a wild school on a tiny island outside Helsinki to be tamed. It's his worst nightmare because the sea is his one fear. But then he learns to swim and trust another human being.
This was truly beautiful and interesting. I loved the setting and the story and also the mystery aspect of it. Just yes, a truly wonderful story - I just wish at some parts it had been a bit less rushed.
This is a book set in Finland, following Niilo, a boy with problematic behaviour who is hence sent to a wild school on a tiny island outside Helsinki to be tamed. It's his worst nightmare because the sea is his one fear. But then he learns to swim and trust another human being.
This was truly beautiful and interesting. I loved the setting and the story and also the mystery aspect of it. Just yes, a truly wonderful story - I just wish at some parts it had been a bit less rushed.
March 26, 2016
http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...
17/20 - En bref, Niilo doit mener son voyage initiatique au bout s'il veut sortir de la spirale infernale dans laquelle il est plongé. Il y met de la mauvaise volonté mais les rencontres, les brimades, les remises en question et l'apprentissage de la natation vont lui faire entrevoir un autre monde auquel il n'aurait jamais pensé avoir droit. La nature, sa relation avec elle et son passé, va lui ouvrir des portes qu'il croyait closes à jamais. Une très belle aventure humaine !
17/20 - En bref, Niilo doit mener son voyage initiatique au bout s'il veut sortir de la spirale infernale dans laquelle il est plongé. Il y met de la mauvaise volonté mais les rencontres, les brimades, les remises en question et l'apprentissage de la natation vont lui faire entrevoir un autre monde auquel il n'aurait jamais pensé avoir droit. La nature, sa relation avec elle et son passé, va lui ouvrir des portes qu'il croyait closes à jamais. Une très belle aventure humaine !
December 18, 2015
This is a truly beautiful story. I would highly recommend this tear-jerking read, a warm, uplifting story. I honestly found great joy reading this and it gave me hope for everyone who loses their wild song <3
July 26, 2015
It got me so emotional moments! Beautiful story x
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews