Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated
The last wild
Piers Torday
The last wild
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Piers Torday
The text is written at a 5th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content is mild with minimal sensitive material. Its HootRating code, LE, means mild content, mostly emotional.
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About This Book
What if the last wild animals on Earth were hidden away, forgotten and in danger? Imagine a world where a brave boy must uncover their secret and save them before it's too late. But what if the biggest threat isn't just nature—but something much closer to home?
Themes
Quick Assessment
The Last Wild is a middle-grade adventure about a boy's quest to protect the last surviving wild animals in a world plagued by disease and environmental change. Suitable for readers aged 9-12, it combines humor with themes of conservation and bravery. Parents should note the story includes some peril and references to animal illness, handled in a way appropriate for this age group.
Why we rated The last wild LE (Mild)
The last wild is written at a Level 5-6 reading level across 322 pages. Reading-wise, most kids in grade 7 and up can manage The last wild on their own; younger readers can enjoy it with a parent or teacher reading along.
We rate The last wild as LE (Mild, mostly emotional) because the content sits in the "Mild" range — mild conflict — the kind a child encounters in normal play and sibling life. Across our four dimensions (emotional, physical, social, thematic) the book reads as evenly mild; no single dimension stands out as a concern.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the mild intensity score.
Thematically, The last wild explores animals, action & adventure, humorous stories, disease, and environmental awareness — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about animals, action & adventure, humorous stories.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers looking for something heavier — this is a gentle, low-stakes story by design.
For Parents
Content Intensity
LE · Mild · EmotionalReading the HootRating code: the first letter is the content intensity (C = Gentle · L = Mild · M = Moderate · I = Intense · V = Very Intense); the second, when there is one, is the kind of content that drives it (E = Emotional · P = Physical · S = Social · T = Thematic). Reading level and age range are rated separately. How we rate
Light conflict or tension. Mild peril resolved quickly.
Was our "Mild" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9780670015542
- Pages
- 322
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Published
- 2021
- Type
- Fiction