Nicola Penfold
Animals, trees, flowers, our city forbids them all…
For Juniper and her little brother, Bear, escaping their cage of a city has always been a secret dream. But when scientists discover the siblings are key to a merciless plan, their escape becomes more than that. Now it’s a flight for their lives.
As Juniper and Bear journey further from the city. they soon learn that there’s cruelty in nature as well as beauty. Will they ever find the home they’re searching for?
Student Reviews
Review prize winner:
I adored this passionately written book. The plot line keeps you hanging with the portrayal of Juniper and Bear’s mission to escape the controlled city and be reunited with their parents in the forbidden area known as the Wild. I was impressed with the way the adventure joined together to make one magnificent story. From the glasshouse to all the way into the deep forests, the writing was exceptional with touches of humour and the right piecing of words to create a believable world.
The city is controlling, unknown, confined and locked down: the guards patrolling the borders of the city, the prohibition of books, and the Institute (where people who are apparently crazy and mentally unsound are sent). The plot reveals later how many people suffered under this regime and how not seeing nature really affected the people’s lives, as well as not even being able to travel outside the city walls.
The reason I adored this book was because the issue of climate change made it a lot more relatable and provided an easier understanding of this amazing read. But with the menacing disease it also helped you feel the gravity of the situation. The book was amazing because when you think things are going well there is a twist to it which really inspired me.
I loved the choice of characters in the book and their way of life; Bear and Juniper were an exceptional choice. Their youth made the journey to escape the city almost feel impossible and bound to fail. They were travelling poorly dressed, as well as being poorly equipped, because of a quick and scary escape from the city. The difficulty of the forest made me fall in love with the characters a bit more. It would have been easy for the author to take shortcuts and make their journey simple by making it a child friendly book with no difficult situations, such as automatically finding shelters, friends, and getting quick solutions. I was glad the author took a tough stance and exposed how the reality of life can be hard and unpredictable.
My most favourite character/animal was the lynx called Ghost who started out as a threat and an obstacle but became a companion and protector, as well as being their guide and help. The reason I loved Ghost the most was because she always came back no matter what and helped them survive and gave them a lot of comfort and reassurance. Ultimately, I was impressed by Ghost as she offered hope to the characters in an otherwise uncertain story.
I recommend this book because it includes a lot of nature and adventure which is inspiring. It has such a wow factor and keeps on pulling you in, so that you don’t want to stop reading. I love this book so much and definitely recommend it to a variety of ages.
– Isla, Year 8, The Mount School
This book is beautifully written, it’s descriptive and imaginative yet has an element of reality woven inside the plot. The tale follows the adventure of a girl named Juniper and her younger brother, Bear. They both dream of escaping the monotony of their city life. So, one day, Juniper and Bear journey into the wild in a search to find their real home, whilst being hunted by the authorities. The story revolves around climate change and the long-term effects that we have on the planet, every part of this concept was clearly explained and easily relatable.
All the characters were inventive, creative and unique and through every up and down, Juniper and Bear’s journey was described so vividly that any reader would be completely immersed in the plot. This book was captivating, every word was chosen so precisely, the storyline just seemed to fit. In my opinion, any reader will be gripped by the expressive and intricate language, the wild adventure of love, hope and finding a place to call home. Even after reading this book, the story will stay with you forever.
– S.S., Manor CE Academy
The book cover immediately drew my attention with the nature theme. I enjoyed the theme of going to a dangerous place ‘the wild’ to find happiness. After the first chapter introducing the situation the story slowly unfolds. I liked Juniper’s character: secretive and mysterious and Bear is a great contrast to her being enthusiastic and energetic.
– Sara, Year 8, Dixons Cottingley
I really enjoyed reading Where the World Turns Wild because I think that it makes you view the world in a different way. For example, if a fly is annoying you, you may be tempted to just kill it and think nothing of it at all, but this book shows the cruelty of how humans react and treat animals. Animals are a part of this world just as much as we are. Would you honestly hurt your friend if they annoy you or will you just tell them to stop? This is the same if a fly annoys you. Don’t kill. Just shoo it away or ignore it. They don’t realise how annoying they are being. Just give animals a chance. I would recommend this book to those who really value animals and who like a great adventure. This amazing story digs deep into our understanding of nature.
At times the book can get a little hard to understand and I did have to read over some paragraphs at times but overall it is a great story with an intriguing plot.
– Holly, Year 7, All Saints RC School
Where The World Turns Wild has this dystopian feeling of a girl called Juniper and her 6 year old brother Bear, living in a city where animals and nature are forbidden because of a disease that killed many and nature itself is dying.
Juniper and Bear don’t belong in the dull, nature-less life as they were born in Ennerdale where their Mum and Dad escaped 15 years ago, The time comes for them to escape when Bear is included in the blood test. Juniper doesn’t want to leave her grandmother or her friend Etienne but she knows it is for the best. Through the jungle of magnificent beauty, Juniper and Bear keep walking and surviving with their newly tamed lynx. Juniper and Bear face struggles they persevere through, such as Violet – a woman who escaped because her blood tested positive but was promised by Portia Steel that she would be accepted into the city if she successfully captured Juniper and Bear. Bear tells Juniper that he didn’t tell Violet their last name but Juniper vividly remembers saying ‘Juniper Green’, Juniper breaks into a frenzy looking around to escape but they fail when Violet captures Bear and threatens to kill him when suddenly their lynx, Ghost, jumps on Violet giving Juniper and Bear time to escape, but Ghost is wounded until Juniper helps her. Another problem they face is when Juniper steps in a trap and nearly dies until she is saved by the ‘Jungle Folk’. She and Bear stay with them until they have to part so Juniper and Bear can finally reunite with their parents. When they arrive a woman named Willow breaks the news to them, destroying their hope and the point of making such a dangerous journey, their mother is dead. She died 4 years ago. I felt sorry for Juniper and Bear because the whole point they parted from their new found friends was to find their Mum and only then they are receiving the news? I would be so angry but Juniper discovers their father is still alive and is remarried, so Juniper and Bear stay and the book ends with Juniper and Bear finding Ghost coming back to them in the end.
I truly love this book, it was filled with emotions, how difficult surviving in the wild can be and the aspect of family sadness as Juniper and Bear were separated from their parents. Something this book has a really good point on is how nature was and why people were shut away from it. Climate change is a massive problem with animals (including marine) dying as well as the environment and this book describes what could happen if we don’t act fast, which is something I like about it – it’s realistic. I would have never ended up reading this book, so I’m happy that I was given the opportunity and I took it because I really like this book with the adventure and misery of surviving in a jungle, how Bear and Juniper feel out of place but also how our environment and life could be like.
– Milie, Year 7, All Saints RC School
This was one of the best books that I have read so far. it reminded me of how important nature is and how we should treat it. This novel is about a young boy called Bear and a young girl called Juniper. They are a brother and sister who live in a city that is banned from nature due to a disease that has not yet got a vaccine. However, for Bear and Juniper, escaping the city has always been a secret dream to them. But when scientists discover that the siblings are key to a merciless plan, their escape becomes more than that. It becomes a fight for their lives.
This book was really enjoyable and while reading it, I felt worried because I was unsure of what would happen to Bear and Juniper when they go out into the wild. Overall, the book was brilliant, and I would definitely recommend it.
– Suhani, Year 7, All Saints RC School
The main characters were Bear and Juniper/Ju. Bear was very active and always liked to be running around and collecting things. Also, he hates school and being cooped up in the city. However Juniper can tolerate school and tries to help Bear when he doesn’t want to go. She is also very passionate about the ReWild and supports everything the ReWilders did. The characters were described in a lot of detail and I could picture them very easily. It also showed how they physically changed over time. My favourite character was Bear because I liked his personality and how he cared about the wild so much. Also he liked to turn lots of things into games which I found interesting.
Juniper and Bear wanted to escape the city and go find their Mum and Dad. At the start they are staying with their Grandma who helps the pack and get ready for the journey. Their friend Etienne also helps them in their escape. After they broke out of the city their lives were at risk and they didn’t know if they could survive. The story was sad because it showed what climate change had done to the environment and how most of the children had never seen the wild before. The start was dramatic because both Juniper and Bear are in trouble and you also wonder if they might do anything wrong again. The pace quickened as the story progressed and it got more and more exciting.
In my opinion the book was very important because it shows you how bad climate change can really be and how much it affects the world. The setting was described really well and I could definitely tell when it changed into a happier place because the setting was more vibrant. When the characters felt different emotions it was obvious and it also made you feel the same as what they were feeling. It was one of the best books I have ever read because I liked the message it was giving and I loved the story line. My favourite moment was when Bear and Juniper escaped because I knew they would be happier even if they missed their grandma. I don’t think any of the moments could be improved because it was a very well written story.
– Manor CE Academy
Where the World Turns Wild is a book about 2 children – Juniper and her brother Bear – who feel constricted in their lockdowned city, and escape. They leave their house in the city to find their parents in the Wild: a place riddled with a deadly disease only a few are immune to. When reading this book I felt very compelled by the way it is written. Each location was described so vividly, I felt like I was there with Juniper, feeling her feelings, understanding her pain and watching her struggle through thick and thin; it really is an emotional rollercoaster.
Juniper and Bear’s characters are really clever and imaginative. I don’t think this book would have been half as good without Juniper’s courageous yet kind manner or Bear’s childlike innocence. but it wasn’t just Bear and Juniper that made this book brilliant – the plot itself was very good. Unfortunately, it did feel a bit slow in the beginning and the ending didn’t feel like an ending at all, but when it did pick up, it was astounding.
Another great part about the book was how it tied into global warming, climate change and deforestation. It really seemed to emphasise on the fact that this could possibly be the future of mankind if we continue to wreck our planet the way we are currently.
So to sum up, an amazing story that is bound to melt your heart, make you think more about our world’s future and compel you beyond what you thought was possible.
– Alice, Year 7, St Peter’s 8-13
The story is about two siblings who live in an isolated city but can’t get out into the wild where they belong. In the story, the siblings decide to leave the city to find their parents who left them. It happened over a period of a few months for the children to get to where they want to get. It felt a bit like what has gone on over the last few years with COVID and having to go into isolation so it was partially ordinary. The opening of the story was kind of slow so it took quite a while to get into the book. The events in the story followed each other quite well but also there were quite a few time skips.
The main characters were siblings called Juniper and Bear, they weren’t “normal” in terms of the people who live in the city. They were described in a bit of detail and got more described during the story. The person who I found most interesting was Bear because he was “wild” in the city but was more relaxed and calm once out in the wild. The siblings looked after each other so they had a good relationship with each other but they did have some conflicts during their travels. They became more independent and could do things on their own without adults helping them.
The story was written in first person. This was important because it felt like you were part of the story. The setting was sometimes described when they stayed in one place for longer, but if they only stayed for a night then it was not described that much. The feelings were described quite well because it gave you an insight to the characters’ feelings and emotions. It was a good story because it makes you actually realise what climate change could do to our world and it makes you stop and think about what you are doing that could affect our world. I think my favourite part was when they first left the city and first breathed clean air because it makes you feel thankful for what you actually have. I don’t think that there were any moments that I would like to change. I think the author is really passionate about climate change and our world so this is why they wrote this book. I felt upset because this is what could happen to us and our world could be destroyed more than it is now. I think I have learnt that it’s how people live their lives and that they can easily change it by researching about what they could do. I don’t think I can compare it to any other books that I have read as far as I remember because it is not really a genre I read. That what has happened might not happen because it is made up. I would recommend this book because it is important to learn about climate change and I have not read any other book by the same author but I will research some and look at them.
– K.D., Manor CE Academy
Where the World Turns Wild is a beautiful story about family and friends and sacrifices. The description is amazing drawing you in to read more. I really enjoyed this book because of the style that it is written in and how it keeps you hooked all the way to the last page.
– Emily, Year 7, Bootham School
I think this book deserves 5 stars because it is so descriptive, you feel like you’re actually within the story. The plot is exciting, as is the ending, and I like how Nicola Penfold has almost woven this story into something beautiful.
– Franny, Year 7, Bootham School
This book is crammed full of love for the natural world. It is something we see every day but don’t tend to appreciate much. The emotions in this story were portrayed very realistically.
Although currently the Earth is not like ‘the city’ it feels like you are there watching responsible Juniper and playful Bear everywhere they go. The book truly transports you into that moment. Some books contain almost a chapter of description which helps you know what the forest for instance is like. It is amazing to do something like that. However, it is even more amazing to portray somewhere like a forest in such detail without writing nearly as much. Nicola Penfold has achieved this.
The contrast between the city and ‘the Wild’ is very intelligent. To have the characters move from the drab, grey, dull even dangerous city to the vibrant green, bright but still dangerous Wild is very creative because although the wild sounds better there are still problems with it: it is perilous but wonderful too.
The end stopped quite abruptly. This leaves good opportunity for a sequel in the near future of the book’s time. However, is there a sequel, no. Nicola leaves it to us readers to come up with the rest of the story. By doing this she encourages our creative minds to take this challenge on and make the story go wherever we like! That is why this book is a 5 score.
– Toby, Year 7, All Saints RC School
It’s amazing! I love how the possibility of our future is put into this book. It made me feel as if we needed to change how much plastic and greenhouse gasses we use.
Juniper’s reaction to things makes me realize that I’d act the same way if this happened to me. The book connects (a possible) future to the fiction, I’ve never read a book like this. I think/believe that anyone could read this with ease. Normally books for all ages aren’t quite easy to understand and don’t flow creatively (in my opinion) but this book does.
– India, Year 8, All Saints RC School
The author told the story to spread awareness about the environment and the effects of climate change. I felt like I had to do more about the environment when I read it and that just because of us, people in the future might not see the wild. I learned a lot from this book such as not to take what I have for granted and that we should treat the environment better. This book made me think a lot more than other books and it helped me see some of the bad things that humans are doing. I would recommend this book because it has an amazing storyline and it shows you a lot of the problems with climate change and how we need to help the environment.
– Manor CE Academy
Juniper and her brother Bear are trapped inside the city. Trapped so they can’t escape to the wild, trapped so they can’t escape to their home. In the wild there is a deadly disease spread by ticks, the only way to avoid it is by being born with the right genes. Juniper and Bear have those genes. The disease was made by people in a lab and escaped its home. Those scientists were called the ReWilders, and they chose the wild over humans. People who didn’t realise died in the forest, some survived though, some are still living in the wild. Juniper and Bear need to escape their trap like home. In the city they seem like foreigners and nobody likes them, especially the adults. Science has taken over earth, causing people to come away from their race. Science wants to go further though, create a vaccine and the only way to do that is to take Juniper and Bears blood. They need to escape, they need to escape back to a home they never knew from a place they have lived in for what seemed like forever.
This book was great. The characters, the story, everything was amazing. The characters were put out really good and even the strongest ones got injured, and the weakest became strong. I love how we would meet characters and leave them because it made the book feel more real. I love how the characters all had hobbies and weren’t just brought out to be adventurers, they would actually draw or collect things. I loved this. I wish Nicola made part 2.
– Manor CE Academy
York Book Award 