The Wild Way Home

The Wild Way Home has a good storyline and an interesting time-travel concept that takes the reader back to the Stone Age. While the plot is well thought-out and adventurous, I found it lacked emotional depth and didn’t fully connect with the reader. At times, it was a little difficult to follow, and I didn’t feel as drawn in as I have with other stories. I’d rate it a 3 out of 5 — a solid read, but not one that fully gripped me. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy historical adventure but might suggest others try a few pages first to see if it suits their style.

ionadavie

I really enjoyed this for so many reasons. one to consider in class, instead of or alongside ‘Stig of the Dump’

Caroljane65

Charlie has been wishing for a baby brother or sister for as long as he can remember but when baby Dara arrives with a serious heart condition in time for Charlie’s 12th birthday Charlie is filled with over whelming fear and runs away back to the forest at the end of his garden. Once there Charlie’s realises that all is not as it should be, time is not as it should be and Charlie is now back in the Stone Age. Many aspects of the forest are familiar whilst many more are filled with danger. Through a new friendship with Stone Age boy Harby, Charlie learns to not only face danger but also fear and once finally back in his own time he’s ready. A great story for coming to terms with, confronting and overcoming fear.

SarahC39

Star Reviewer

Used to teach creative writing to a year 3 class in my student teaching. A lovely book that opens the minds of such young readers

emily15163

I liked this book and how the past and the present were both represented throughout the story. The characters were easy to relate to and showed both differences and similarities between them. I would recommend this book

DawnMH

Loved this book. Liked the short, sharp chapters. Perfect for our Stone Age topic and portal stories. I was hooked. Dealt with sensitive issues in a considerate way.

wendy.s

This is a brilliant book. Some difficult and upsetting themes explored so highly suggest reading before sharing aloud.

MichelleMc

Really enjoyed this book! An excellent adventure that sensitively deals with possible 'lived experiences' for some children reading it.

Crobins02

This is a wonderful book set in modern day and The Stone Age. A boy called Charlie celebrates his birthday by welcoming a new baby brother. However, he’s not sure whether he’s happy about having a new brother and gets upset when his brother arrives. He runs away from his friends and family and is transported by the Spirit Stone back in time to the Stone Age. Charlie meets Harby and they go on a journey of discovery. This book is about friendship, family and appreciating what you have. Overall it was A great book to read and I’m looking forward to sharing it with my Y3 class in September.

JCornell

This lovely fiction book is full of adventure and self discovery for its main character, Charlie. After Charlie is frightened by what the future might hold, he is transported back to the stone age, where he meets someone else that is in the same situation as him, but 6000 years ago. A lovely heartwarming story of family and bravery.

Sally5

Perfect to pair with a Stone Age history focus and read alongside Stone Age Boy by Satoshi Kitamura, it's a classic timeslip story. With a marvellous forest setting it is also about friendship and family, and has shades of Stig of the Dump and Skellig. A great class reader for Y3 or Y4, or for recommending to KS2 readers.

Jane Branson

A good book if you enjoy stories that take you into the past as well as tackling some sensitive issues. The main character is adventurous but finding it hard to come to terms with the birth of his baby brother. I enjoyed reading about his journey into the Stone Age and how he makes friends with a boy from that time period.

RachelShaw

A great adventure when Charlie helps a boy who is very different from him. This is a lovely story to bring a Stone Age topic to life.

Suewys

A modern day Stig of the Dump crossed with a portal story

CReece1

I love the book for the language register used in the dialogues of Hartboy and the plot that is almost completely driven by the emotions of the boys. It has proven to be very useful in helping my Year 3 students unlock the depth of their own emotions. It has helped them create writing with greater depth. Splendid book!

Ginrou1970

Beautiful descriptions of the natural world and a main character who is easy to empathise with.

[email protected]

I loved how captivating and engaging this story was and how the two main characters have been crafted to be incredibly similar, yet existing in different time periods. I would definitely recommend this story to others. It is a tale where you are completely invested in the journey of the characters both geographically and emotionally.

MHayman

Fabulous book. Each chapter leaves you wanting to read more. Lovely messages about the importance and complexities of family and home told in a gentle and adventurous way.

InspireDestiny

I love the way Charlie, the main character in the book, describes the forest using all his senses and collects special items from it for his museum. The book gives the reader an idea of what it would have been like to live thousands of years ago, mentioning many animals now extinct or extremely rare but how ancient people would have had much in common with us.

Buddleia

This is the class reader for summer term next year during our Stone Age topic so I added it to my TBR. It’s a beautiful story with plenty of adventure and lots of great vocabulary but carries a truly great emotional message. I can’t wait to share this one with my class and encourage sharing emotions/not running away from them.

lrobbo89