Wild by Emily Hughes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
No one remembered how she came to the woods… A little girl grows up happy learning to talk, eat, and play from the birds, bears, and foxes. Until one day, she is discovered by some hunters. She is taken to the city where she is expected to follow rules… and no one is happy.
Hughes’ illustrations are florid and wild like our feral protagonist. Earthy tones abound bringing nature to the page. This book is a nice reminder to parents and caregivers. We must give our children room to be themselves. Forcing them to be something they aren’t will only make everyone unhappy. In a lighthearted way, Hughes addresses a somewhat difficult subject: the ever present friction between child and adult. Rules vs freedom. My daughter gets a little upset when she makes a mess of the toys. I take the opportunity to talk about how she doesn’t know their rules and expectations. I hope I can only remember that next time I get frustrated when someone isn’t “doing it right”.
Great reminder, Emily Hughes. Thank you!