Wilding

This beautiful book chronicles the rewilding of the Knepp Estate, a former working farm which has been slowly coaxed back to wild, natural glory. The reader is taken through the challenges and benefits of such an enormous and important project – with content including timelines, maps, wildlife fact files, activity suggestions, infographics and lots of details relating to the running and upkeep of Knepp.  

Wilding does not shy away from the intricacies of the scientific aspects of the Knepp project, and it does not condescend to its audience. Having said this, there are lots of fun facts, captions and infographics to break up some of the more content-heavy pages.  

Complementing the text are wonderful illustrations by Angela Harding. She uses contrasting lino prints to achieve striking full-page spreads and saturated watercolours to provide the more detailed natural imagery. These techniques give the book a timeless and comforting feel which works well alongside the photographs provided by the Knepp estate.   

While aimed at Key Stage 2 readers, the quality of the illustrations provides plenty of opportunities to engage younger children who may be interested in natural themes. Similarly, budding wildlife enthusiasts will be excited by the engaging activities described in this book.