Land of the Last Wildcat – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: family, environment, greed, loss, fantasy.
Children’s book title: Land of the Last Wildcat.
Children’s author: Lui Sit.
Children’s illustrator: David Dean.
Genre: Children’s fiction.
Published by: Macmillan Children’s Books.
ISBN: 9781035040315.
Recommended for children aged: 9-11 year-olds.
First published: Paperback May 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: discussing the effects of environmental damage on our own country and the rest of the world. Also for understanding our own problems, worries, and anxieties, and the way we can help ourselves to face these things, both when alone and with others.
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Our review:
Puffin Lau’s mum, Allegra, is an authority on the Kuri, an extinct wildcat reputed to have magical healing powers and found only in one location: the remote Linger Island, where her late father was born and is buried. Unfortunately, Puffin’s mother, a research scientist, is rarely around when Puffin needs her, so she spends most of her time with her best friend, Lance, and her Grandad Moe.
After a visit to the Research Centre where her mum works, Puffin and Lance find themselves on a mission of mercy to return an ailing Kuri, whom they have named Trouble, to Linger Island—the only place it can survive. As they journey through heavy rain and gale-force winds, they know Allegra’s desperate boss, Professor Smoult, is on their tail and will stop at nothing to get his hands on the last Kuri. Finally arriving on the island with the Kuri, Puffin knows time is of the essence as she hurries to find the unique resource she needs to restore Trouble to full health.
Our verdict:
Land of the Wildcat by Lui Sit weaves an environmental message through an adventure story that also covers challenging subjects such as the loss of a parent, workplace bullying, and the struggles associated with single parenthood. Puffin is filled with anxieties and anger but is also strong-willed and determined to fulfil her responsibilities, perhaps because she feels her mother never does. The eponymous wildcat possesses magical healing powers coveted by the greedy and self-centred owner of the research centre, who sees them as his route to fame and fortune.
Puffin clearly misses her father and thinks about him often. Although very young when he died, she remembers his sayings and ethos as she tries to do what she knows is right for the Kuri. Her mother’s influence and experiences are also key to her outlook and, alongside her relationships with Lance and Grandad Moe, give the reader an intimate insight into who Puffin is and how her life so far has shaped her perspective. The end of the book is full of hope and offers a glimpse of how the events so far will continue to influence the lives of Puffin, her friends, and her family.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- The Kuri is a mythical creature with the ability to heal and to communicate with Puffin. Many cultures have similar legends of animals with magical abilities. Why do you think this is, and if you could discover a similar creature, what magical qualities would you want it to have?
- Puffin Lau is the hero of this story and has had a difficult life so far. How do you think the author shows this, and does Puffin surprise you with what she achieves?
- Puffin and Lance are amazed at Grandad Moe’s past. How do his experiences help in the rescue of Trouble?
- The environmental message in this story is linked to the apparent demise of the Kuri. The island, which is partly desolate when Puffin arrives, begins to regenerate once Trouble is restored to health. Which animals are vital to our survival, and how have we destroyed habitats and species in our desire to build more, plant more, and dump more of our essential—and not-so-essential—everyday so-called necessities?
- In a cross-curricular activity with geography, the effects of coastal erosion, deforestation, and urbanisation could be compared to the fictional world on Linger Island. Without magic to rely on, how can we fight back against environmental issues and begin a regeneration of our own?
- Puffin experiences worries and anxieties throughout the story. How does she deal with them, both while she is with her friends and when she is alone?
- The piece of Kuri poo she keeps in her pocket is very important to her. Why is this, and how does it help?
- The hopeful ending of the story sends a positive message. If you had to describe something similar in a real-life situation, what would it be?
Many thanks to Macmillan Children’s Books for the review copy.
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