When the Wild Calls

Juniper and Bear are now living in Ennerdale with their father, his new partner, Willow, and their baby, Fern. The life they escaped in the city should be in the past, but neither can rest easy knowing they left their grandmother, Annie-Rose, and friend, Ettienne, behind. When they learn that disease is spreading through the city, Juniper is determined to rescue them and bring them to safety.

Inside the city, there are signs that the tight control held by ruthless leader, President Steel, is weakening. But signs of rebellion by a group called the Polecats have made the authorities more aggressive. Etienne, determined to fight for freedom, soon finds himself in grave danger and in need of rescue from more than the city itself.

I am sometimes reluctant to read sequels, even though desperate to return to the world of a story which I have really enjoyed, just in case they do not live up to the original. However, I needn’t have worried in this case! ‘When the Wild Calls’ offers exactly the same absorbing, heartfelt, powerful read as ‘Where the World Turns Wild’ and it was a joy to revisit them and discover what happened next.

Both Etienne and Juniper’s voices tell this story in alternating chapters, allowing the reader to see events unfolding both inside the city and in the wild. Each has a clear and different voice, full of concerns about those they love, as they recount the events of their lives, one making their way back to the city, one desperate to leave it. Each shows huge strength of character and courage, fighting for what they believe in and remaining loyal to those they love.

The story is beautifully written, glowing with a love of nature and full of careful observations capturing the tiniest details as well as sweeping landscapes. Although Nicola Penfold makes it clear that the places she is writing about are her imagined interpretations, it is obvious these are locations she loves. I love the mention of the Wordsworths’ graves- another marker on Juniper’s journey for the reader to locate!

Like ‘Where the World Turn Wild’, ‘When the Wild Calls’ would make an excellent text for sharing in school, either as a class story, a guided reading text or to inspire work in English lessons. The quality of the writing, its vivid message about the importance of caring for nature and the appealing characters all make the book sure to capture the imagination.

A stunning read from one of my favourite authors!

When the Wild Calls

Nicola Penfold

Little Tiger    ISBN: 978-1788956215

You can read my review of ‘Beyond the Frozen Horizon’ here

Meet Nicola Penfold

Nicola Penfold has quickly become one of my favourite authors. Her stories are full of love for the natural world, engaging characters and absorbing plots, making them perfect for capturing the interest and imagination of readers young and old. It is a delight to welcome her to the Bookshelf today…

1.       Your books are full of love for the environment with beautifully described settings. Are you inspired by places you have travelled to or is much of your travelling done in your imagination?

Both! Where the World Turns Wild, my first book, was definitely inspired by holidays in the Lake District, both as a child and now in my adult life. Between Sea and Sky was inspired by daytrips to the Essex coast – the miles of mudflats, how tidal it is, and a mudlarker’s dream! But this last book, Beyond the Frozen Horizon, is set in the high Arctic, in Svalbard, a place I’ve never been to. I had to make my imagination work much harder, and harness all the tools of the Internet (YouTube videos can be a writer’s friend!). Also, books came into their own – I was very inspired by an adult book, a ghost story, that Michelle Paver has written, Dark Matter (the scariest book I’ve ever read!).

The thing I found hardest was thinking about levels of light – my book is set in the approach to winter, as the polar night is falling. I was writing through winter in the UK and found myself getting up early, when it was still pitch-black outside, and walking out to the summerhouse at the bottom of my garden to write. I think it all paid off – in my head, Svalbard, and certainly the ghost town of Pyramiden where my story is set, seems very real to me now. Of course, if I ever do visit for real, it may be different entirely!

2.       Does the action which has been taken to protect the environment in ‘Beyond the Frozen Horizon’ reflect the actions you would take if you were in charge?

Yes, I think so. I’m a real advocate for wildernesses and rewilding. In my first two books I’d achieved this via a disease, and then climate and ecological collapse. I wanted to try a more optimistic route this time! Some crucial things have been law around the world – fossil fuels have been left in the ground, transport has been made more sustainable, meat and dairy consumption have drastically reduced, as well as plastic and fast fashion. Also, crucially, huge vast wilderness zones have been set up, allowing natural landscapes to soak up carbon and act as vital refuges for wildlife. We need to think big and bold. We’re running out of time.

3.       If you weren’t allowed to write another book with an environmental theme, what would you choose to write about?

Great question. Space, I think. It’s another great wilderness to explore!

4.       Rory is an amazing character- so believable – so ‘ordinary’ -and so full of determination and resilience. Did you have anyone in mind when you were developing her personality? 

My daughters I think, and many other amazing young people I’ve come across through them, and more recently on school visits I’ve done. And then looking back too, to myself at that age. I think growing up is hard! I definitely had times when I felt I didn’t fit in, that I was too quiet, or unpopular, or bookish, or just somehow, undeniably, not part of the crowd. I wanted Rory to go on a character journey as well as a literal one. She finds her strength in the wilderness. It isn’t about changing or being any different at all, it’s about finding herself. Having the confidence just to be herself and to know that’s enough.

5.       When reading for pleasure yourself do you prefer poetry, prose or non-fiction?

I love all three. Poetry has this amazing power, to tell absolute truths in a few lines. To make me gasp, or laugh or cry. To make me feel someone else has felt the exact same thing before. I also love non-fiction, especially about the natural world, for what I learn from it, little nuggets of wisdom, which then can make my life better. But my absolute favourite is definitely stories – because they’re long enough to lose myself in. To be someone else for a while!

6.       What are you working on at the moment? (and please say it will be out soon!)

Oh thank you! I’m working on another wilderness adventure for Little Tiger, my brilliant publisher. I’m very excited about it but can’t tell you too much yet. Then after that, and between edits, I’ve got a couple of other ideas I want to explore. I seem full of ideas lately, and just need to discipline myself to sit down and start writing them! I’m the kind of writer who needs a deadline!

7.       And lastly- and most importantly according to my niece- what is your favourite cake?

Ooooh, tricky. But I am going with chocolate concrete. It reminds me of school – a gorgeous, warm, tray-backed square of scrumptiousness at breaktime. We make it at home now and it’s so easy! It’s definitely a treat, it’s basically just sugar, butter, flour and cocoa power.  But its so good, and sometimes simple things are the best.

Couldn’t agree more about the cake!! Many thanks to Nicola for joining me today. I can’t wait to read whatever is coming next…

You can find out more about Nicola on her website and find her on Twitter @nicolapenfold and Instagram @nicolapenfoldauthor

You can read my review of Beyond the Frozen Horizon here.

Beyond the Frozen Horizon

In 2030, the world leaders pledged a coordinated and unprecedented response to the Climate Crisis, introducing strict Climate Laws and establishing World Wilderness Zones, including the High Arctic. Rory’s mum is an environmental geologist whose new job with Greenlight, a company which claims to have developed new ways of ‘mining’ in the Arctic using bacteria, offers mother and daughter the chance of a lifetime opportunity to travel to Svalbard- and Rory the chance to escape the misery of school.

On arrival, instead of a ghost town, they find a tiny community still inhabiting Pyramiden, living in harmony with nature and its wildlife. Initially, Rory is treated with suspicion and shunned by the locals until she makes friends with MIkkal, and together, they uncover some disturbing truths about the Greenlight project.

Nicola Penfold has quickly become one of my favourite authors. Her writing is completely absorbing, superbly crafted and thought provoking- and I think ‘Beyond the Frozen Horizon’ is her best work yet.

The importance of caring for our world is at the absolute core of this book and yet nothing about it is ‘preachy’ or patronising. The respect and care shown for the natural world by Mikkal and his people stands in harsh contrast to the real actions and purpose of those in charge of the Greenlight project. Rory stands between these two camps- she longs to believe in the company her mother is working for and yet is forced to face the realities of what she is seeing, taking the reader on a thought-changing journey about climate crisis, human impact on the planet and the need for change.

Evocative descriptions of the stark, yet stunning Arctic environment create a dramatic backdrop to the story. The perils of this environment, the fragility of human existence amid the cold and creatures which make it their home, is captured so vividly as Rory explores her new home, encountering danger and beauty in equal measure.

‘Beyond the Frozen Horizon’ is a compelling adventure with a hint of the supernatural- I love the reference to Michelle Paver’s ‘Dark Matter’ (which gave me nightmares) another stunning novel set in the Arctic. Any of Nicola’s books would make an excellent key text to study and enjoy, but ‘Beyond the Frozen Horizon’ is an absolute gift to any UKS2/ KS3 teacher in many ways. At story time, it would keep a class completely enraptured and absorbed; as a guided reader, it offers endless possibilities for rich, challenging work both guided and independent; as a class key text, it has the power of an engaging plot, the richness of language, interesting characters, links to other curricular areas and a satisfying conclusion to keep children absorbed and to inspire them to produce quality work in response. It is a fabulous book deserving great success!

Beyond the Frozen Horizon Nicola Penfold

Little Tiger ISBN: 9781788954471

Originally reviewed for Reading Zone.