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When the Wild Calls by Nicola Penfold - reading guides

“Penfold’s skilful storytelling offers a powerful and thought-provoking narrative with themes of courage and resilience that will resonate with 9-12-year-olds.”

- The School Reading List

“A triumph of a sequel. Emotional punch and ecological awareness wrapped up in an exciting adventure. It was a joy to return.”

- Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear

The journey winds through me, twisted and turned, like a difficult second spine…

Having escaped their city, Juniper Green and her brother Bear have settled in Ennerdale with their dad and his family. Every day the Wild introduces them to a new wonder, but Juniper can’t stop worrying about her grandmother and best friend left behind. When she hears news that disease has entered the city, she’s determined to bring her loved ones to safety.

Trapped in a city riddled with disease and run by a ruthless leader, Etienne longs for the Wild. With the guards becoming more aggressive to counteract the growing rebellion, Etienne’s prepared to fight for his freedom. But will he be able to protect himself and keep those around him safe until Juniper returns from the Wild?

The compelling and thought-provoking sequel to the much-loved Where the World Turns Wild, this ecological adventure is perfect for fans of The Last Bear, Running on the Roof of the World andThe Last Wild.

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Radio 2 Book Club - Winter titles

The Winter season of the Radio 2 Book Club is out now, with brilliant brand-new fiction titles to discover. The BBC Radio 2 Book Club is on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show. It features a wide range of titles and authors, recommending great reads from both new and much-loved writers, encouraging listeners to perhaps try out a genre they might not have read before, and share their opinions and insights on the titles and great reads they’re enjoying right now.

Resources

How to start a reading group

Interested in joining a reading group or starting one of your own? Download our quick guide to getting started. You can also download icebreaker questions to help get your discussion started, and a social media guide to show how you can share your reading with others online.

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Discussion guides

We know how useful a discussion guide is for your book club meeting, so here you’ll find some recent guides provided by publishers. Free to download, you can use them to help choose your next book and guide your discussion.

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