Publication Date: 24 March 2022

The Blurb

The wild is waiting…

Esme is annoyed and braced for boredom when she’s sent to stay with her gran for the weekend, until she discovers a terrible mistake. Cora, the abandoned kitten Gran found on the Rothiecraig Estate, is in fact a wild lynx kit and she is growing—fast!

Suddenly, Esme find herself on a dangerous mission to rewild Cora, along with Callum Docherty for company, the school’s ‘bad boy’, and Shug, the worst guard dog in the world.

The situation takes a terrifying turn when the children pitch their tents on a bleak Highland moor and hear wolves howling outside…

The Review

The Rewilders is such a captivating, immersive and thought provoking read. I felt as if I was walking the moors with Esme and Callum on their mission to rewild Cora.

Told from both Esme and Callum’s perspectives we really get to know the two children on their journey.

Esme in part of the in crowd at school and goes along with best friend Isobel at all times about all things. Her time on the moors gives her chance to stop and think about the consequences of her actions and if that is really the person she wants to be.

Callum is defensive and spiky, but with good reason. He is finally starting to feel as though he has found a place to be, apart from school. His time with Esme allows him to reflect on the fact he may not be the only one wearing armour to school to protect himself.

The way Lindsay describes the settings as the two journey to return Cora to the wild where she belongs is utterly immersive. I was transported from my sofa to the Scottish Highlands, revelling in the majesty of the moors they were crossing, and shivering as night set and not just the wind howled.

Without spoilers, there were two moments in the book that I read with wide eyed wonder and a hint of jealousy. This is a celebration of our natural world, a reminder of the delicate balance of ecosystems, and that we must take responsibility for looking after the world we live in before we damage it beyond repair.

For those not sure of the Scottish dialect, there is a glossary at the end of the story, which came in handy as I had no idea what gowping meant!

Great for fans of:

• Eagle Warrior by Gill Lewis
• When The Mountains Roared by Jess Butterworth
• The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold

Huge thanks to Cranachan for sending me a copy!