Author: Tara Zann
Illustrator: Dan Widdowson
© Date: 2017
Publisher: Imprint
Pages: 131
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: Yes, most page layouts have an illustration
Publisher Recommended Age: 5-7 years
Bonus Activities at End of Book: No
Summary from Book: Can this wild child ever fit in?
On a family camping trip, Olive encounters Forest, a young boy who has grown up in the wild. When Olive’s father agrees to let Forest move in, it’s under the condition that Olive teach Forest everything about proper behavior. He’s never sat at a table, brushed his teeth, or even taken a bath before! It’s a lot to learn, and Olive’s brother, Ryan, isn’t helping—he tells Forest that football should be played inside!
Note: This review is done from memory. I originally read this awhile ago.
Page Pig Thoughts: This one was an amusing way to look at city life. A bit Amelia Bedelia and a bit Tarzan in the city. I could see this one being highly funny to a child or just weird, so I am curious what someone in the recommended reading age thinks of this book. Alas, Page Pup did not get around to reading this one.
Family Unit: Olive lives at home with her older brother, Ryan, and their father. Grandmother “Gam Gam” is a frequent visitor.
Conflict/Social Issues:
- Olive attempts to teach Forest manners and how to live in a house, but Forest does not always understand.
- Olive feels constantly interrupted by Ryan.
Positive Items:
- Olive is honest with her grandmother, which leads her grandmother to being honest. They are able to understand each other better.
- Forest works on learning how to fit into city life.
- Everyone is rather patient with Forest.
- Olive’s dad is super patient with things in the house getting broken.
Items of Interest:
- Forest is a young boy that was living on his own in the forest for potentially years. When Olive first sees him, Forest is covered in dirt, has clothes made of out leaves and mud, and has messy hair that includes an actual bird’s nest. Forest can talk to animals and soar through the trees. Forest learned English by listening to the people camping near where he lived in the forest.
- Forest stows away in the back of Olive’s family car and surprises everyone when they open the back to let the dog out and find him there.
- Olive’s dad decides that Forest can stay with them because he says he doesn’t have any family and Olive’s dad said he read an article a few years ago about a wild child in the woods.
- Olive appreciates that Forest lets her talk and actually listens to her.
- Olive helps Forest learn how to bathe. Since Forest is so filthy, the first shower is with the hose outside.
- Forest doesn’t understand what all of the items in the house are for and is particularly amused turning the lamp on and off. He doesn’t understand the images on the TV and punches the screen, which breaks the TV.
- Olive tries to speed up Forest’s manners education because Gam Gam is coming to visit the following day and she is big on manners. If Forest is to stay with them, then Forest needs to get Gam Gam’s approval.
- Gam Gam is super proper with starched dresses, pinned hair, and big on manners. Gam Gam calls Olive “Alice,” but Olive is not allowed to say anything about it. Olive believes that Gam Gam favors Ryan.
- Olive and Forest bring a frog in the house to show Olive’s Dad. Forest turns to take the frog outside, runs into the screen door, the frog jumps out of his hands and hops around the house, the dog chases the frog, etc. Kitchen dishes are broken, dinner gets messed up, and Olive’s dad calmly says they should clean up and order pizza.
- Forest feels bad and attempts to make dinner. Leaves and berries from the backyard with worms and who knows what else. The pizza plan still comes through.
- Forest squirts toothpaste all over his head to get clean.
- Ryan teaches Forest to play football inside. A window gets broken. To hide the evidence, Olive covers the broken spot with pictures that she and Forest drew.
- Olive tries to teach Forest how to use utensils at the table.
- Gam Gam does not listen to Olive. Gam Gam serves Olive a large portion of boiled brussels sprouts.
- Gam Gam consistently interrupts Olive and does not listen to her during dinner conversation.
- Wild animals come into the house through the hole in the window. Gam Gam is furious and says “the wild child must go.” Olive stands up to Gam Gam and says that Forest is her friend and should stay. Then Forest puts his arm around Olive and says that she is Olive, not Alice. Olive says that at least the wild child can remember her name. Gam Gam is shocked. Then Gam Gam admits that she is always bragging about her grand-daughter. Alice was the name of her sister that was Gam Gam’s favorite person in the world, and happened to look like Olive.
- Gam Gam then softens toward Forest and shakes his hand while saying, “welcome to the family.” Then wishes Olive good luck with Forest at school the following week.
Other Books in Series (At Time of Posting):
- Book 2 – Wild Child: Forest’s First Day of School
- Book 3 – Wild Child: Forest’s First Birthday
- Book 4 – Wild Child: Forest’s First Bully