Running Wild (novel) facts for kids

Running Wild is an exciting children's book written by Michael Morpurgo. It came out in 2009. The story is about a boy who gets saved by an elephant during a huge tsunami. He then has to learn how to survive all alone in the wild jungles of Indonesia.

The Story of Running Wild

The book Running Wild begins with a boy named Will Robert. He is on holiday in Indonesia and is riding an elephant named Oona along a beautiful beach. Will is very sad because his father, Robert, recently died in a war.

One morning, Oona the elephant is acting strangely. Her handler, who looks after her, says she refused to go into the sea for her usual swim. Suddenly, Oona charges away from the beach with Will holding on tightly. As they climb a hill, Will sees something terrifying. A massive wave, known as the Boxing Day tsunami, crashes onto the beach. It destroys everything where Will had been just moments before.

Surviving in the Jungle

Oona carries Will deep into the jungle. Will slowly learns how to understand Oona and communicate with her. He also discovers how to find food like fruit and fresh water, which helps him stay alive in the wild. Will remembers a useful lesson his father taught him long ago. His dad showed him how to catch fish from a stream using his clothes as a net.

However, jungle life is not easy. Will struggles with biting insects and leeches. One day, Oona faces a dangerous tiger. Will remembers a poem called "The Tyger" by William Blake. Saying the poem out loud gives him courage.

Danger and Escape

Will needs this courage when he is suddenly captured by hunters. He learns that the rainforest is in danger because of people trading in exotic pets, animal furs, palm oil, and timber. These activities harm the jungle and its animals.

Later, Will manages to escape with help from a kind chef named Kaya. Kaya cuts open their wooden cage, freeing Will and some orangutans. They all run back into the wild rainforest. After wandering for a while, they are overjoyed to find Oona again. Will climbs onto her back with the orangutans. It is a powerful and inspiring story about a boy who finds his true place in the wild.

How the Book Was Inspired

The idea for Running Wild came from a real-life newspaper story. It was about a girl named Amber Owen. She was saved from the 2004 tsunami by an elephant she was riding. The author, Michael Morpurgo, didn't meet Amber until 2016. He invited her and her family to the opening night of the book's stage show in London.

Morpurgo was also influenced by two of his favorite childhood stories. These were The Jungle Book and "The Elephant's Child". These classic tales helped shape his own adventure story.