Wild

by Alex Mallory

Overview

Cade, a teen raised alone in the wilderness, is thrust into civilization in this modern retelling of Tarzan.

No one knows the forest better than Cade, who has spent his entire life there, foraging, hunting, and surviving. Raised to believe no one else is left in the world, he is shocked when he encounters Dara, a modern girl on a camping trip in his woods. And when an accident forces him back into society with her, he begins to question his entire life. Together, Cade and Dara attempt to handle their newfound celebrity as the media closes in. But the truth of Cade's past might be too much for either of them.

Alex Mallory's action-packed and romantic tale is told from both Cade's and Dara's point of view and is perfect for fans of contemporary and dystopian YA as well as classic survival stories such as Hatchet, Lord of the Flies, and Tarzan.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062218766
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/15/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	453
File size:	725 KB
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Alex Mallory was born and raised in the Midwest. A big fan of reading, history, camping, and competitive M&M sorting, Alex once crossed a dilapidated train trestle in the middle of the night, two hundred feet above the Wabash River, in a futile attempt to prove her love to someone who had no idea she existed. (1) She lived to tell about it, (2) it didn't work, and (3) she doesn't recommend it.

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2014
Gr 7 Up—Cade grew up among the trees and caves of Daniel Boone National Forest. Dara grew up in the Kentucky town of Makwa. When a Spring Break camping trip Dara takes with her boyfriend, Josh, turns terrifying, the world of the forest and the world of modern-day Kentucky are thrust together. Cade is forced out of the wilderness and must contend with the media circus forming around him. It may be more than he and Dara can bear. The plotting of this retelling of Edgar Rice Burroughs's Tarzan of the Apes is smart and will keep readers interested in how Cade came to be in the woods by dropping clues about his mother's past throughout the narrative. The novel features some romance, but it is not overwrought nor does it override the mystery element. Some mentions of modern technologies such as Tumblr, Skype, and iPhones will date the novel, but they add to Cade's overwhelming lack of knowledge about the world he is suddenly a part of. A fine addition to any YA collection.—Paige Garrison, Aurora Central Public Library, CO

School Library Journal

This utterly compelling contemporary take on the Tarzan story has all the appeal of a paranormal romance without the supernatural cheats. — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Told from multiple perspectives, Malloy’s contemporary spin on Tarzan is wrought with emotion and intrigue, making this an unlikely but enjoyable romance. — Booklist

The plotting of this retelling of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Tarzan of the Apes is smart and will keep readers interested in how Cade came to be in the woods. A fine addition to any YA collection. — School Library Journal

The story is engaging and makes the reader want to know what will happen when Cade and Dara hook up the next time. — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

Cade and Dara’s struggle to be together shines. — Kirkus Reviews

WILD delivers a fresh take on a classic story, with authentic characters who come alive on the page and an exhilarating romance. — Megan Crewe, author of the Fallen Worlds trilogy

From the Publisher

Told from multiple perspectives, Malloy’s contemporary spin on Tarzan is wrought with emotion and intrigue, making this an unlikely but enjoyable romance.

Booklist

This utterly compelling contemporary take on the Tarzan story has all the appeal of a paranormal romance without the supernatural cheats.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

WILD delivers a fresh take on a classic story, with authentic characters who come alive on the page and an exhilarating romance.

Megan Crewe

The story is engaging and makes the reader want to know what will happen when Cade and Dara hook up the next time.

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

This utterly compelling contemporary take on the Tarzan story has all the appeal of a paranormal romance without the supernatural cheats.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Told from multiple perspectives, Malloy’s contemporary spin on Tarzan is wrought with emotion and intrigue, making this an unlikely but enjoyable romance.

Booklist

2014-05-14
Overcoming a slow start and a cacophony of voices, this novel combines adventure and romance into an engaging read.While their fellow seniors head to Orlando for spring break, Dara and her boyfriend, Josh, decide to camp in the Daniel Boone National Forest. The forest is home to trees, animals—and a teenager named Cade, who has lived there since his parents fled from society 15 years before. When he sees Dara, Cade is entranced, and the feeling is mutual once they meet. A bear attack forces Dara and Josh to bring an injured Cade out of the forest and into society. Dubbed the Primitive Boy once the story breaks, Cade is left reeling by this strange new world. Only Dara can help him…and that's what Dara wants, too. The connection between them is undeniable, but it's a struggle to nurture a romance under such conditions. To be together, will they choose to live in the woods or in the world? The story doesn't really start until the bear attack occurs. Mallory tells her story in multiple voices; the choice to go beyond Cade and Dara to include other characters' perspectives facilitates the sharing of information with readers yet dilutes the emotional impact.Nevertheless, that impact is still made, and Cade and Dara's struggle to be together shines. (Adventure/romance. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews