Wildlands 2

Returning to a near-future, rewilded Britain for another thrilling and thought provoking adventure, award-winning author Brogen Murphy brings us a story of bravery, friendship and hope. 
 
Finn lives in the Buffer Zone on the edge of the Wildlands, surrounded by a vast, rewilded landscape filled with boar, bison and beavers. But his quiet life is up-ended when his father takes in an orphaned bear cub – a secret that could cost them everything. 
After being rescued from the Wildlands, Astrid is doing everything she can to expose the poachers that threaten this protected sanctuary – but no one is listening. 
When Finn’s bear grows too big to hide, and Astrid’s Mum hatches a daring plan to get proof of the poachers, both children set off on parallel journeys – over land, sea and sky. 
But winter is closing in, and a terrible storm is brewing . . . 
Stranded in the heart of the Wildlands – with secrets between them and danger far closer than they realise – can they learn to trust each other to save what they both love most? 
This series is perfect for 8-12 year olds and fans of The Explorer and The Last Wild. Wildlands was the winner of the Children's Wainwright Prize for Fiction 2025.

Returning to a near-future, rewilded Britain for another thrilling and thought provoking adventure, award-winning author Brogen Murphy brings us a story of bravery, friendship and hope. 
 
Finn lives in the Buffer Zone on the edge of the Wildlands, surrounded by a vast, rewilded landscape filled with boar, bison and beavers. But his quiet life is up-ended when his father takes in an orphaned bear cub – a secret that could cost them everything.After being rescued from the Wildlands, Astrid is doing everything she can to expose the poachers that threaten this protected sanctuary – but no one is listening.When Finn’s bear grows too big to hide, and Astrid’s Mum hatches a daring plan to get proof of the poachers, both children set off on parallel journeys – over land, sea and sky.But winter is closing in, and a terrible storm is brewing . . .Stranded in the heart of the Wildlands – with secrets between them and danger far closer than they realise – can they learn to trust each other to save what they both love most?This duology is perfect for 8-12 year olds and fans of The Explorer and The Last Wild. Wildlands was the winner of the Children's Wainwright Prize for Fiction 2025.

Brogen Murphy

Financial Times (Best Summer Books of 2025)

Occasionally books come along that you know will stay in your heart for a long time, and Wildlands is one of them.

Vashti Hardy, author of the Brightstorm series

Murphy's family drama is set against a backdrop of bigger issues, and the environmental and domestic concerns are neatly interwoven. The idyllic setting, meanwhile, offers a narrative of hope: there are things that humans can do to control and save the world, on both the micro and macro level.

Set in an imaginary near-future, this environmental adventure is full of incredible lost animals and plants. It's a tense, exciting story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Convincing and affecting, this classic-in-the-making keeps things nail-bitingly real.

Set in a utopian landscape and addressing big questions about humanity's relationship with the environment, this is a gripping and refreshingly original story of survival against the odds. Engrossing, thrilling and thought-provoking.

At the core of this book is a story about tenacity, sisterly love and hope all wrapped up in a brilliant adventure. Chapter after chapter is filled with emotional depth, adventurist dilemmas and thought-provoking conversation starters around what Britain’s ecological future might look like – a brilliant read!

Brogen Murphy

Praise for Wildlands

A vivid, memorable eco-adventure

Occasionally books come along that you know will stay in your heart for a long time, and Wildlands is one of them.

Murphy's family drama is set against a backdrop of bigger issues, and the environmental and domestic concerns are neatly interwoven. The idyllic setting, meanwhile, offers a narrative of hope: there are things that ...

A vivid, memorable eco-adventure

Occasionally books come along that you know will stay in your heart for a long time, and Wildlands is one of them.

Murphy's family drama is set against a backdrop of bigger issues, and the environmental and domestic concerns are neatly interwoven. The idyllic setting, meanwhile, offers a narrative of hope: there are things that ...

A vivid, memorable eco-adventure

Occasionally books come along that you know will stay in your heart for a long time, and Wildlands is one of them.

Murphy's family drama is set against a backdrop of bigger issues, and the environmental and domestic concerns are neatly interwoven. The idyllic setting, meanwhile, offers a narrative of hope: there are things that ...

Books by Brogen Murphy

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