Wild Watchers: The Pine-Marten Promise by Liz Flanagan, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Loss, relocation, environment, promises, family.
Children’s book title: The Pine-Marten Promise.
Children’s author: Liz Flanagan.
Children’s illustrator: Jason Cockcroft.
Genre: Children’s fiction.
Published by: Fox and Ink Books.
ISBN: 9781917894425.
Recommended for children aged: 7-9.
First published: March 2027.
This children’s book is ideal for: anyone who is interested in the cost to wildlife and habitats caused by the destruction of forests. Also to initiate conversations about life-altering events and how they can change everything in an instant.
Trigger warning: Death of father, before the book begins.
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Our review:
Charlie was just nine when his dad died, and now, two years later, his mum has decided the two of them will move back up north to live with her dad. For Charlie, who is still grieving for his dad, it seems as if he’s losing him all over again, but he knows he doesn’t have a choice. The move means leaving his friends behind, a new job for his mum, and a new school for him, none of which will be easy.
Charlie doesn’t know his grandad at all, but he understands that his mum is glad to be back in her old home while she gets used to everything new. Charlie is relieved to discover he isn’t the only new student on his first day at school. Joseph is also sitting nervously in reception and, as Charlie soon finds out, English isn’t his first language! Thrown together, the two boys become firm friends and work on their first class nature assignment as a pair. Concentrating on the very rare pine marten and its dwindling population in the wild, Charlie is surprised to find himself connected to the elusive creature via a dream in which he sees the forests close to his new home through different eyes.
When Charlie finds out his mum is working for the forestry company that is about to destroy the forests where the pine marten lives, he has no idea how to proceed. Eventually, as the bulldozer is about to remove the trees he has been desperate to save, the two of them stage a protest, meaning the felling can’t go ahead. Then his grandad is taken ill and Charlie realises there is far more to lose than he had thought when he had first reluctantly moved into his new home.
Our verdict:
The Pine-Marten Promise is a beautiful story full of understanding of both the environmental and personal issues faced by Charlie and his family, without getting overly emotional, but instead seeing things through both Charlie’s and the pine marten’s eyes. There is conflict between Charlie and his mum, and his new classmates, but his positivity and enthusiasm win everyone over, and his grief is also sympathetically addressed. Gradually, he sees changes in himself and his mum, which he knows can only be good for both of them.
There are notes at the end of the book showing how readers can help the pine marten and other endangered creatures by being as curious as Charlie and realising that understanding one animal also provides information and tactics for helping others who live in similar environments, whether they are endangered or not.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- Charlie and Joseph started their new school together. How much easier do you think that made the experience for both of them?
- Joseph had to use a translator app to understand his new friends. How much harder do you think it was for Joseph on his first day than for Charlie?
- Do you think Charlie had more knowledge than he thought he did from spending time with his dad as they filmed for his blog?
- Did you know anything about pine martens before reading this book? Would it have worked as well if it had concentrated on animals such as foxes or badgers?
- Design a poster to organise a peaceful demonstration to protest against environmental damage and the impact it has on local wildlife.
- Charlie decides to set up his own wildlife channel. If you were doing this, how would you make sure it reached the most followers?
Many thanks to Fox and Ink Books for the review copy.
To order a class set of this book, please click below to order via uk.bookshop.org, an organisation that supports local bookshops, or Amazon.co.uk.
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