TL;DR: The Last Wild Trilogy by Piers Torday is a gripping, sometimes dark, but ultimately hopeful eco-adventure for ages 9-12. It follows Kester Jaynes, a boy who can’t speak to humans but can talk to animals, in a world where a virus has wiped out almost every living creature. It’s perfect for fans of The Wild Robot or Wings of Fire, but be prepared for some real emotional weight regarding extinction and climate change.
If your kid has finished The Wild Robot and is looking for something with a bit more "teeth," Piers Torday’s series is usually the next logical step. The trilogy consists of:
The story is set in a dystopian future where a plague called "red-eye" has killed off all animals—or so the public is told. The world is run by a massive corporation called Facto, which provides "formula" food now that the natural ecosystem has collapsed. Our protagonist, Kester Jaynes, is a 12-year-old boy living in a home for "troubled" kids. He doesn't speak, but he discovers he can communicate telepathically with the few remaining animals hiding in the wilderness.
It’s an adventure story, but it’s also a heavy-hitting look at environmentalism. Torday doesn't talk down to kids. He assumes they can handle the truth: that the world is in trouble and it’s going to take more than just "recycling" to fix it.
Ask our chatbot for more eco-adventure book recommendations
Middle graders are at that specific age where they are starting to realize the world isn't perfect, but they still have a fierce sense of justice. Torday taps into that perfectly.
- The Animal Characters: This isn't a "cute talking dog" story. The animals have distinct, often gruff personalities. There’s a bossy cockroach, a brave stag, and a very cynical wolf. They feel like real characters with their own stakes, not just sidekicks.
- The Stakes: Kids today are growing up with "climate anxiety" as a background hum in their lives. Reading a book where a kid actually does something about it is incredibly cathartic.
- The Mystery: The corporate greed of Facto and the mystery of where the "red-eye" virus actually came from keeps the pages turning. It has the same "us vs. the system" vibe that made The Hunger Games a hit, but scaled for a slightly younger audience.
This is the setup. Kester is broken out of his bleak boarding school by a flock of pigeons and a determined cockroach. They take him to the last remaining wild animals who believe Kester is the only one who can save them from extinction. It’s a classic "chosen one" journey but grounded in biological reality.
The sequel moves the action to the city. It explores the "dark" side of the wild—animals that have adapted to live in the sewers and shadows of human civilization. It raises great questions about what we consider "pests" versus "wildlife."
The finale takes Kester across the ocean to find a legendary island where the last of the world's seeds and species might be hidden. It’s a race against time and Facto’s final plan. It ties up the environmental themes with a conclusion that is both heartbreaking and incredibly moving.
Screenwise generally recommends this series for ages 9 and up, but there are some caveats.
If you have a particularly sensitive reader who cries when a bug gets stepped on, you might want to pre-read or buddy-read this one. Torday is a "no-BS" author. In a world where animals are going extinct, animals actually die in these books. There are moments of genuine peril, and the villainous Facto corporation is genuinely chilling in its disregard for life in favor of profit.
Content to be aware of:
- Death of animals: This is the big one. It’s handled with respect, but it's frequent.
- Dystopian themes: Themes of starvation, corporate control, and environmental collapse.
- Post-pandemic vibes: The "red-eye" virus might hit a little close to home for kids who still have "COVID-19" anxiety, though the virus in the book only affects animals.
This series is a goldmine for "intentional parenting" conversations. Instead of just letting them finish the book and move on, use it as a bridge to talk about the real world.
- On Corporate Responsibility: In the books, Facto controls the food supply. You can ask: "Why do you think the people in the book let one company have so much power?" It's a great entry point into discussing how real-world companies impact the environment.
- On Disability and Voice: Kester is "mute" to humans but the most heard person in the animal kingdom. Talk about how being "different" or "quiet" can sometimes be a secret superpower.
- On Climate Anxiety: If your kid seems stressed by the book's themes, pivot to "action." What are things we actually do to help the "wild" in our own backyard?
Learn more about dealing with climate anxiety in middle school
If your kid devours The Last Wild Trilogy, they’ll likely enjoy these other titles that balance nature with high-stakes adventure:
- The Wild Robot by Peter Brown: A bit gentler, but explores similar themes of technology vs. nature.
- Pax by Sara Pennypacker: A beautiful, tear-jerker story about a boy and his fox set against the backdrop of war.
- A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry: A survival story told from the perspective of a wolf. Very biologically accurate and thrilling.
- Watership Down: The "OG" of serious animal adventure. It’s much longer and more complex, but a great "step up" for advanced readers.
The Last Wild Trilogy is top-tier middle-grade fiction. It doesn't treat kids like they're fragile; it treats them like the future stewards of the planet. While it has its "brain rot" moments of pure action and chase scenes, the core of the story is deeply intellectual and emotional.
It’s the kind of series that stays with a kid. It might turn them into a vegetarian, it might make them want to be a biologist, or it might just make them look at the pigeons in the park with a little more respect. Either way, it’s a win for their digital-to-analog balance.
Ask our chatbot for a personalized reading list based on your child's interests