Protecting the Wild

When we talk about protecting our planet, we often tend to use big words such as ‘environmental’, ‘ecology’ or ‘sustainability’. These may now be part of mainstream language for adults, yet for children these words often remain elusive and abstract. So, I wanted to approach the topic in a way that would engage and resonate with younger readers.

I decided to make a picture book depicting the environment as a living, breathing, entity named The Wild. The tale is written as a modern day fable, the narrative following a classic arc, beginning with: “Once upon our time, somewhere not far away, was The Wild…” humanity’s relationship with nature in a parable that even emerging readers can understand and appreciate.

The Wild is huge, giving and everything from insects to birds to humans make their home in it. At first, people live lightly and take only what they need. But when they start to take more, The Wild begins to suffer. Then, one day, a small boy is brave enough to raise his voice.

Illustrating the book was pure joy as I was able to incorporate mountains, forests, oceans and rivers to make up the vast wild, as well as weave an assorted ensemble of wildlife and human characters into the visuals. This way, the reading experience is also a visual one, as there are many opportunities to spot new characters on each page!

To my delight, the book has already been translated into several languages, as the subject matter has a universal and timely appeal. Recently, I’ve been touring communities and book festivals with The Wild, where I would often ask children to draw and imagine their own version of The Wild after I’ve presented the story. I’m hoping The Wild will be used similarly by schools as part of a discussion about protecting and respecting our planet, or as inspiration for nature art projects, as well as simply for story time.

Happy reading from The Wild and me!

The story carries a message of both urgency and hope, exploring

YUVAL ZOMMER Author www.instagram.com/yuvalzommer