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Running Wild
An epic and heart-rending jungle adventure from the bestselling author of Kaspar and Born to Run. For Will and his mother, going to Indonesia isn't just a holiday. It's an escape, a new start, a chance to put things behind them - things like the death of Will's father. And to begin with, it seems to be just what they both needed. But then Oona, the elephant Will is riding...more
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
September 1st 2009
by HarperCollins Children's Books
(first published January 1st 2009)
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Running Wild by Michael Murpurgo
Running Wild can be classed as "A book written with a male main character".
In this book a young boy, Will, and his mother travel to Indonesia for a holiday as part of a healing process after the death of Will's father. On Boxing Day 2004, as a gift from his mother Will takes an elephant ride on the beach whilst his mother swims nearby. Oona, the elephant,senses something is wrong and begins to run into the jungle with Will on board. Suddenly, an enormous tidal wav...more
Running Wild can be classed as "A book written with a male main character".
In this book a young boy, Will, and his mother travel to Indonesia for a holiday as part of a healing process after the death of Will's father. On Boxing Day 2004, as a gift from his mother Will takes an elephant ride on the beach whilst his mother swims nearby. Oona, the elephant,senses something is wrong and begins to run into the jungle with Will on board. Suddenly, an enormous tidal wav...more
I just read this with my 10 year old daughter and I loved it!! We have been reading it most nights and always end up reading way past her bedtime because we want to find out what happens next.
It is a great adventure story about a boy who survives the Boxing Day Tsunami when he is saved by an elephant. The love between Will and Oona the elephant is very moving. The rest of the characters include three baby orangatuans, a mother orangatuan and an Other One (orangutan) that watches over them. Oh an...more
It is a great adventure story about a boy who survives the Boxing Day Tsunami when he is saved by an elephant. The love between Will and Oona the elephant is very moving. The rest of the characters include three baby orangatuans, a mother orangatuan and an Other One (orangutan) that watches over them. Oh an...more
Aug 16, 2012
the never-ending library
added it
I always thought if I were ever going to have an animal for a best friend it would be a unicorn. That’s until I was introduced to Oona. The world’s most devoted, caring and intelligent Elephant, and the best friend Will could ask for.
I should probably warn you that this book is the tear jerker of all tear jerkers. If you’re a fan of Morpurgo then this will come as no surprise. The man sure does have a knack for dealing with sensitive subject matter. The issues dealt with in Running Wild are poi...more
I should probably warn you that this book is the tear jerker of all tear jerkers. If you’re a fan of Morpurgo then this will come as no surprise. The man sure does have a knack for dealing with sensitive subject matter. The issues dealt with in Running Wild are poi...more
Another good book by Michael Morpurgo,it is the story of a young boy who after losing his father in the war in Iraq, goes with his mother on holiday to Thailand when the Tsunami hits. Will is saved as he is riding on an elephant at the time, and it has been said all the animals disappeared before the Tsunami hit as they obviously sensed the changes in the atmosphere,. Oona the elephant takes off into the jungle with Will and thats where the story begins and their efforts to survive. I like the...more
The day I discover a new Micheal Morpurgo is a very happy day. He's one of the authors who constantly amaze and inspire me.
Running Wild is the story of Will, caught up in terrifying events when a tsunami hits the village he and his mother have been staying. Will, who was having an elephant ride at the time, survives only because the elephant - Oona - senses the imminent tsunami and bolts into the forest. This is the story of how he survives.
Will is a lovely character though I did feel he came a...more
Running Wild is the story of Will, caught up in terrifying events when a tsunami hits the village he and his mother have been staying. Will, who was having an elephant ride at the time, survives only because the elephant - Oona - senses the imminent tsunami and bolts into the forest. This is the story of how he survives.
Will is a lovely character though I did feel he came a...more
After enjoying reading ‘Born to Run’ to my son last year I thought I would read another book by Michael Morpurgo. I read ‘Running Wild’ in one day and thought it was an excellent.
The main theme of the story is Will escaping from the Tsunami. The story gets over to the reader how quickly it came and how little warning there was and as a result giving people no time to escape. Will escapes on an elephant that ran into the jungle to get onto high ground. The rest of the story is the developing rela...more
The main theme of the story is Will escaping from the Tsunami. The story gets over to the reader how quickly it came and how little warning there was and as a result giving people no time to escape. Will escapes on an elephant that ran into the jungle to get onto high ground. The rest of the story is the developing rela...more
I love Michael Morpurgo's books. He has such a unique style of characterization - maybe because he's British - but all his protagonists are such straight forward survivors. This one is about a 9 year old boy who has just lost his dad to the war in Iraq. To take a break from the grief, he and his mom take a Christmas vacation to Indonesia. You guessed it. The year is 2004 when the earthquake and subsequent tsunami strike and devastate countries around the Indian Ocean. When the tsunami hits, Will...more
Michael Morpurgo has always been one of my favourite authors. I was looking for a book to read on my way to London when I saw this book called 'Running Wild' by Michael Morpurgo. The cover and blurb both looked and sounded very interesting so I bought the book hoping it would help pass my time. The genre of Running Wild is adventure/ realistic fiction. I would say the age group is around 9-13 years old.
'Running Wild' is about a boy named Will who lives with his single mother in England. His dad...more
'Running Wild' is about a boy named Will who lives with his single mother in England. His dad...more
This novel was about a young boy on an elephant ride in thailand, when the tsunami hit. The elephant sensing the tsunami, ran up from the beach, into the jungle, with the chlid on its back. The elephant and the child live in the jungle, trying to survive together, as the village was destroyed and there was no way of returning. The relationship between the elephant and the child develops throughout the story, with obsticals such as native jungle people and dangerous native animals, testing their...more
I couldn't put the book down because you felt like if you did then something would happen and you wouldn't see it. It's an epic story of a boy who loses his mum because of a tidal wave on the beach, the only reason he is alive is because of one clever Elephant. He was having a ride when the Elephant went all strange and ran off, the boy doesn't know how to stop the Elephant and starts panicking. After a few days it dawns on him that he has lost his mum, as well as his dad. He starts to make frie...more
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Wow, this book is amazing..:o :o
Although it's not my favourite book by Michael Morpurgo (that would be The Amazing Story of Adolphus tips)this is truly a great read.
I loved how Will's way of seeing things differed to when he was still living with his grandparents and his mom to when he was in the jungle with Oona, Charlie, Tonk and Bart, not to mention No-name.
I thought the ending was going to be that Oona ran off someplace then Will found his way back to the shore that he had first ridden Oona...more
Although it's not my favourite book by Michael Morpurgo (that would be The Amazing Story of Adolphus tips)this is truly a great read.
I loved how Will's way of seeing things differed to when he was still living with his grandparents and his mom to when he was in the jungle with Oona, Charlie, Tonk and Bart, not to mention No-name.
I thought the ending was going to be that Oona ran off someplace then Will found his way back to the shore that he had first ridden Oona...more
Will recently lost his father, a UK marine fighting in Iraq. Then, his mother decides to go on vacation to Indonesia for their Christmas holiday in 2004. On Boxing Day, Will is on an elephant ride while his mother sunbathes on the beach when the tsunami strikes. His mother is swept away, and suddently Will's only chance for survival in the jungle is with Oona, the elephant he's riding.
This story could be a modern Jungle Book tale. Morpurgo is an excellent writer for young people, and this story...more
This story could be a modern Jungle Book tale. Morpurgo is an excellent writer for young people, and this story...more
Michael Morpurgo is simply one of my absolute favorite authors and every book from him is a real treat - but many also have me in tears at the end of the book. This is one of them. A truly touching story about a boy disappearing during the 2004 tsunami! This is also another of his stories narrating a very special relationship between an animal (here: an elephant) and a human being. I also love the postscript which provides background information on what made him write the book as well as the "po...more
I lived this book. We all were there when we heard about the horror of the devastating Tsumani in 2004 and I have heard the tales from some of the FLC's (Police Family Liaison Coordinators) who had to travel out there. I read about this child's fight for life and how he was nurtured via life itself, was totally enlightening and gave a complete understanding that life can succeed, even in the most disastrous of circumstances. I, being human, did shed a tear, here and there. This book was one of m...more
A great story about a boy, and how an elephant saves the boy's life from terrible disasters. I could always visualizing what happened. The author, Michael Morpurgo, was very descriptive in this story. I was very surprised by the end, but I loved the end just as it was. I laughed out loud many many times in this story, as well as cried one or two times.
The relantionship that Will, the boy, and Oona, the elephant, had was incredible. They were like best friends, and when they got seprated they al...more
The relantionship that Will, the boy, and Oona, the elephant, had was incredible. They were like best friends, and when they got seprated they al...more
Jan 08, 2012
Discoverylover
added it
Wow - I was so impressed with Morpurgos ability to take several historic (well kind of anyway) events and issues and weave them all together, and he managed to get one of my favourite poems in!
It's funny, because one of my favourite books (The Graveyard Book) is also slightly inspired by The Jungle Book, but I don't think I've ever read that. I'll have to get on to that!
It's funny, because one of my favourite books (The Graveyard Book) is also slightly inspired by The Jungle Book, but I don't think I've ever read that. I'll have to get on to that!
Wow this book was everything that I could want from a book, and the storyline was well thought out and beautifully written. The relationship between a little boy and the jungle evolved into something beautiful, the challenges he had to overcome the instinct if survival and the way he found special friends. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good emotional story filled with excitement and edge of your seat stuff not knowing what was going to happen next. This has been the best book I ha...more
I enjoyed this book. It first caught my attention by the gorgeous and colourful cover, and I borrowed it from the library as soon as my friend recommended it to me. It reeled me in from the first page. I love the way to book is written, and how Will (the main character) communicaites and how he develops feelings towards the animals. The drawings (of the 3 or 4) are unique, creative and interesting. I normally don't like books on non-fiction, but this is a good read. Running Wild makes you really...more
OK this is officially a childrens book, but all adults who care about the earth should read this story of a boy who was riding an elephant along the beach when the Boxing Day Tsunami struck. The elephant sensed it coming and took off carrying the terrified boy high into the hills where he lived wild in the rainforest for many months. It addresses environmental issues like the destruction of the rainforest for palm oil plantations. A great read. I couldn't put it down.
Brilliant is my 10 year old's rating. Although a children's book, it will appeal to adults as well. I have been reading it with my 10 year old who is quite an advanced reader and although he didn't know alot of the vocabulary, it didn't spoil his enjoyment of the book. Be ready with the tissues, it is a real tearjerker.
Inspired by real events and current world issues, it is a real eye opener and for the inquisitive child, they will adore it.
Inspired by real events and current world issues, it is a real eye opener and for the inquisitive child, they will adore it.
Nov 21, 2010
Joanna
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
all ages
Recommended to Joanna by:
Vicky Claridge.
I LOVED this book SO much. Currently,it's my favourite Michael Morpurgo book by far! I'm very sure you will agree I love the way Michael writes it for all ages- young and old. I coukd never put the book down which is quite annoying. Personally, it's a brilliant book for animal lovers. I always hesitate when i've got a Michael Morpurgo book in my hands because they always make me cry(happy or sad). I would definatly recommend this book to everyone.
Another fantastic story told by Michael Morpurgo. I love the way the story was based on real life - firstly the Iraq war and Boxing day tsunami, but more so, it told the story of cruelty that is occurring all of the time, education is surely the only way to prevent this continuing.
Having spent some of this summer living with abused and tortured elephants in Asia I was touched to read about Oona, so many of her traits rang true with my own experiences of these magnificent creatures.
Having spent some of this summer living with abused and tortured elephants in Asia I was touched to read about Oona, so many of her traits rang true with my own experiences of these magnificent creatures.
I love this book because it shows that in some ways, animals can be kinder and more thoughtful than some humans. I think it's great that it's raising awareness for the animal welfare in the rainforest and for the impact of the boxing day tsunami. Some people say that in some parts it's descriptions are a little too childish, but he's a kids' writer, can you blame him?
Mar 15, 2013
Izzy
added it
well i read half! and stopped cause my friend reccormended me another of michaels books but i would recormened you to read this frist of all its starts off ok but a bit of a bore! then it gets intresting, sad and themn happy.then suddenlty out of knowwhere the massive dilema comes in and is so horrid! but a real page turner!! REALLY!! one of the best. ever
In fairness I read a proof copy of this but the only way it could have been improved since is if it was put in a shredder. It couldn't be worse if Dan Brown rewrote it. It's just absolutely awful. I'm sorry about that, but it is. I feel bad leaving a review like this, and I tried very hard to find something positive about it, but I couldn't. All I could think was that the publisher has a cheek...
Essentially there was something wrong on every page - from where a boy hasn't eaten for a couple of d...more
Essentially there was something wrong on every page - from where a boy hasn't eaten for a couple of d...more
I also really enjoyed this book. It was about a boy who got separated from civilization and he has only and elephant with him. The elephant also saved his life. And he goes through tough aching things and ends up happy and living a good life to care for the jungle and all of his animal friends
Love this Michael Morpurgo book... He's one of the authors who constantly amazes and inspires me.
The story of survival against the odds and the bond that we see grow between Will and Oona in the Jungle is really interesting and had me hooked right at the start.
Brilliant book for all ages.
The story of survival against the odds and the bond that we see grow between Will and Oona in the Jungle is really interesting and had me hooked right at the start.
Brilliant book for all ages.
This is a great book. It may be really thick but you'll get over that quickly and love the book itself. It is one of the greatest Michael Morpugo books I've read so far. Some parts may bore you but there is more better parts than boring. You should read this book.
Super story, wonderful recount of boyhood experiences - Will making connections with his old life, trying to link them to his current one and laying the foundations for radical new ones.
Read it aloud to two classes of 10-11 year old and they loved it too!
Read it aloud to two classes of 10-11 year old and they loved it too!
This book is filled with historical information, heartbreak, and adventure most of us would only want to experience through fiction. Anyone who loves nature and the delicate balance needed for the environment to survive will appreciate this story!
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Michael Morpurgo is the author of many books for children, five of which have been made into films. He also writes his own screenplays and libretti for opera. Born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1943, he was evacuated to Cumberland during the last years of the war, then returned to London, moving later to Essex. After a brief and unsuccessful spell in the army, he took up teaching and started to...more
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Jul 19, 2012 12:42pm