The Wild Boy

by Mordicai Gerstein

Once there was a boy who lived in the mountain forests of southern France. He lived completely alone, without mother, father, or friends. He didn't know what a mother or father was. He was naked. He didn't know what clothes were. He didn't know he was a boy, or even a person. He didn't know what people were. He was completely wild.

In simple prose and an abundance of sharp, vivid illustrations that capture the energy of youth, this extraordinarily touching picture book brings to life the child who was Victor in a way that will delight and engage young readers.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Nonfiction, Historical, Biography, Science

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 1998

About the author

Mordicai Gerstein was an American artist, writer, and film director, best known for illustrating and writing children's books. He illustrated the comic mystery fiction series Something Queer is Going On.

Reviews

[Jay Bushara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ambivalent but true. Victor, the wild child, was captured - or he was rescued - in the Aveyron district of Southern France in 1800, and his assimilation was an arduous, eventful, and not altogether successful experiment. This luminous account finally asks more questions than it answers ("I wonder what he sees...I wonder what he feels. I wonder...." thinks the doctor who is treating him), and it's all the more surprising for its incomprehension, no matter how many times you have reached the final page. A great neglected history by the author and illustrator Mordecai Gerstein (The Man Who Walked Between the Towers) who is at his best elaborating - and sometimes debunking - such legends.

[Tiff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just bought this for my school library - I picked it up to flip through and couldn't put it down - I had to read the whole thing. It's an interesting story, although I think older kids [grades 2 -4] would appreciate it more than the younger ones. I think by reading it aloud to 2nd grade I can peak their interest.
I love that Gerstein has created non-fiction books with great illustrations for younger kids. Especially because the stories are outrageous and kids are so surprised when they find out they are true!

[Davin Cua · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too sad, it was based on a real life story in southern France where a boy named Victor who was a ferral child that was caught and taught at a deaf school that i liked and the one thing i didn't like is that it's filled with graphic images and it's way too sad that i almost cried

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touching and heartbreaking true story of French boy found in the wild. Told with passionate illustrations. Masterful compositions. Don't know if kids will connect with the mc's story, but a tale well told, beautiful and haunting.

[Michelle Farella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting! I wonder what would happen to a wild child found today!

[Bonnie Lambourn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art makes this book alive and emotionally resonant. I found this book during research on the topic, though an older book, recognized the author/illustrator's name, and just noticed how much this art reminds me of another of my favorite painter/picture book illustrators - Robert Andrew Parker.. though honestly Gerstein has managed to be more precise and still achieve the loose free dynamism of this boy's delight in moving in nature, and in nature itself.

Without the art, I'm sure the book would not rate a 5 from me, but it is well told too. Much as I'd personally prefer a perfect ending fictionalized story, to tell this story with this much empathy and compassion is not easy feat given the historical references of the true story.

As someone else wrote, the audience would be older kids, and the text is not as short as most picture books today are, but it is the ability to understand at all this subject matter. For a child generally delights in freedom - but knowing the security of family support, boundaries, and home. This is basically a story of abandonment of a child who had to survive on his own in unusual conditions, and while fascinating, it could also be scary to any child to wonder about such a situation that may have created this outcome. To understand the historical setting takes an older child as well. Best a sensitive and knowledgeable adult shares this story to explore ideas from historical events that may have contributed, talk about why this is less likely to happen now, or to simply talk about feelings and reassure a child about their own life.

Yet Gerstein does manage with his kind adults who befriend and patiently support the boy in learning how to assimilate as best as he can and to still be himself, with wild yet still somewhat gentle art style, bring happy notes to this story. That he never learns to talk is another topic for interesting discussion, on the why's and how to communicate with those who can not speak the same way we do.

An unusual and unique story, honest, that does not seem to have an agenda to teach, nor sway the reader, yet brings you to this boy's world without talking down to children.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful imagining of a child discovered in the French countryside with no knowledge of human civilization and his journey to become modern. Emotional illustrations really made the book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a fascinating albeit devastating story.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story of a feral boy. The illustrations here had a wild feel to them. Very engaging discussion followed.

[Maughn Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gareth Matthews' philosophical review of this amazing book is available from the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children here: https://www.montclair.edu/iapc/review...

[Mary Pigeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic blend of colors.

[Claire Binkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adorable story. I read earlier in the book there was a more advanced version somewhere else about this historical phenomenon...?

It certainly made me feel better about being a quiet person.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once there was a boy who lived in the mountain forests of southern France. He lived completely alone, without mother, father, or friends. He didn't know what a mother or father was. He was naked. He didn't know what clothes were. He didn't know he was a boy, or even a person. He didn't know what people were. He was completely wild.

In simple prose and an abundance of sharp, vivid illustrations that capture the energy of youth, this extraordinarily touching picture book brings to life the child who was Victor in a way that will delight and engage young readers.

Once again the author's notes share the real experience this book is based off of - such a boy was found and studied in February 1800 in the mountains in France. He never spoke. Amazing, yet touching as the doctor and housekeeper show him to love and be loved.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating, and true, story about a young boy who was discovered by hunters and 'rescued' from living naked in the wild in France in 1800. Mr. Gerstein does not sugar coat the story and explains that the attempt to civilze the boy was not all that successful.

The illustrations are great and the short narrative will likely appeal to elementary school age children. We really enjoyed reading this book together.

[Samantha Penrose · Rating 2 out of 5]

I happened upon this book while walking through the library and was intrigued by the title and cover illustration. I didnt realize at the time that I had heard the story before...its based on a true story of a ferel child found in the mountain forests of southern France in the 1800's--I think I saw it on TLC.
Its a bit of a sad story...I like the illustrations alot...

[Krysta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not planning on reading this book, but the title captured my attention, and then I opened the first fold of the book and it said 'based on a true story'. The book itself was not my favorite (how it was narrated or illustrated) but the it is a very interesting story about a boy who was found living in the wild in Paris and was taken in by a doctor, but he never became fully civilized.

[Donald Armfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I told my four year old daughter that this was a real boy. He never learned to talk.
She sat through the whole forty pages.

I found this book very interesting the fact that was based on a true story and the things people did to the boy. Even nowadays they would probably do the same thing if a similar boy was found like this.

[Deanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't realize this was a children's book! It is based on a true story of a boy found raised in the wild, truly wild. I thought that was this book, apparently not! Will keep searching for the original text.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story about a boy found in the 1800s in the wilds of southern France and the compassionate doctor who refused to write him off as nothing more than an animal. My 7yo and 9yo were fascinated by the idea of a wild boy and his integration into a loving human family.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! One glance at the cover and I knew I had to read it. What boy wouldn't like to run free and wild? I will say the story is rather sad but it is so beautifully illustrated and many of the pictures will be engrained in my mind for a long long time.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What an interesting story and great illustrations. This book reinforces just how important those early years are for language development. My only critique is that I wish the author had added more to the story about what ever happened to the boy as he grew. Maybe we don’t want to know?

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book . i think its perfect for young kids . i read it when i was in third grade and i never forgot it.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

PBS

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

... c'est intéressant mais c'est écrit assé ' simplement ' pas de grand mots, sa racompte une histoire point. c'est intéressant comme histoire mais pour un Roman sa serait vraiment ordinaire...

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting little book. I liked it though. And it's so neat that it's a true story. The boys were intrigued by it too.

[Callie Risse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually based on a true story in which a boy is found living in the wild. Children will love to read about how Victor was found and how the people in the city did their best to 'tame' him.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a picture book for the young. But a very sweet story of a true "wild boy" and angels who cared enough to love him.

[Larissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

want to read more on this topic!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book is based on the true story of the wild child of Aveyron, France. It is written on an estimated 4th grade reading level. The story is rather sad because the child never learned to talk and no one ever found out where he came from.