I was delighted when the author of this Twinkl original, Victoria Williamson, asked me to review Wildcat Summer, as I am a huge fan of her work.

Blurb

“Don’t worry. I definitely won’t be bored here. It’s going to be an adventure – for both of us.”

I had no idea that it would actually turn out to be true and this would be the most exciting summer I’d ever had.

Eleven-year-old Molly is spending the summer at her aunt’s caravan park in the Scottish Highlands. But dealing with new surroundings and people who don’t understand her hearing loss is tough – and all Molly wants to do is go home. That is, until she discovers an intriguing local legend about a ‘ghost cat’ that appears as a warning when danger is nearby.

One day, Molly sees the ghost cat and realises that a family of recently released wildcats are in trouble. With the help of new friends and a wise, old neighbour, Molly’s summer just got a lot more exciting…

Review

Whilst telling the story of Molly’s summer at her aunt’s caravan park, meeting new friends and having an adventure involving a ghost wildcat, the author crafts a story that involves themes around awareness of hearing loss, change, looking after the countryside and not judging people before you know anything about them or their circumstances.

Molly and Lewis get off to a bad start because they both perceive that the other is judging them, whereas they were projecting their own fears about how others see them, based on precious experience. Once they started talking, their misunderstandings were cleared up. It also taught Molly a valuable lesson in being grateful for what she did have, and not to compare herself with others.

There is a strong message in the story about being careful and considerate when camping and looking after the environment, which is home to so many animals and plants. Poor decisions and lack of care could (and often does) lead to devastating damage and loss.

One of the strongest themes is around Molly’s hearing loss and there are many children who will identify with this. The awareness others around her show, to include her fully in conversations, proves to Molly that explaining how people can help her really can make a difference.

I also loved the intergenerational aspect of the story, with all the characters learning from each other.

The illustrations of excerpts from Molly’s scrapbook bring an added bonus to the story overall.

Twinkl Originals

Together, the KS2 Originals team combine their unique talents and backgrounds to produce captivating and educational books that resonate with children, parents and educators alike. Their commitment to quality, diversity and curriculum alignment ensures that each story not only entertains but also enriches the learning experience for young readers. Find out more about the Originals books here: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/twinkl-originals

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