Description
A propulsive middle-grade mystery about changing friendships, growing up, and embracing adventure.
It's 2045 and the world is full of tech. Eddie has a bot in his ear giving him advice all day, and classroom bots keeping track of him at school. The streets are full of bird-drones, and gametech is amazing.
But tech can't help the police find a missing boy called Theo. When they abandon the search, Eddie and his friends sneak out to look for clues. What they find doesn't seem to make sense.
Then strange things start happening to Eddie. He's never been sporty but suddenly he's a brilliant runner. He has excellent night vision-and there are hair-like feathers growing out of his skin.
It's exciting. And it's terrifying.
But does the strangeness have anything to do with Theo's disappearance? And could it help Eddie find the missing boy?
The Wild Unknown is a gripping adventure set in a near-future world, where the truth can be difficult to find and where real friends will always be better than the smartest tech.
Review
Emily Gale has written another thought-provoking middle grade story set in Melbourne, this time in a rather futuristic world in 2045.
Our story revolves around Eddie, as we discover how much technology has advanced in 20 years. For example, he has AI in his ears answering all kinds of questions, and you are effectively under surveillance 24 hours a day.
Then a boy from Eddie's school disappears and strange things start happening to Eddie - feathers growing out of his body, and a marked increase in his physical abilities are the most obvious. Could they be related?
Eddie talks to his older brother, Jude, and his best friend, Kit, looking for help. But it is only when Romy, Kit’s older sister, and Mason, who bullies Eddie constantly at school, discover they also have the same symptoms that they realise that something sinister is at hand. Who could be behind it? And are they up to the challenge of unravelling the mystery?
This is a compelling look at the world in the not-too-distant future that is so advanced compared to where technology is today. But is this a good thing?
It raises questions of the effects on technology on our lives, and the need to disconnect. Also covering issues of bullying, friendship, and the need to work together to find answers, this is an ideal novel for middle grade readers aged from 11 to 14 years.
