SuitabookWild boy
Rob Lloyd Jones
- Reading
- Read alongside the child, pausing after the accusation to separate what Wild Boy observes from what others assume. Later, discuss whether the story gives him choices and support, rather than focusing only on solving the mystery.
- Themes
- Difference and dehumanisation: Wild Boy is covered in hair, displayed as a sideshow attraction and treated as fundamentally different. The wording presents his treatment as cruel and abusive rather than as a fair measure of his worth.
- Observation and deduction: Wild Boy becomes an avid observer and develops Sherlock Holmes-like deductive skills, then uses them after being accused of murder. His attentiveness and reasoning are presented as valuable capabilities that may help him defend himself.
- Trust under pressure: The acrobat Clarissa may be with Wild Boy or against him while he faces the murder accusation. The book leaves its stance open to more than one reading.
- Worth knowing
- Before reading, acknowledge that the boy is abandoned, bought, displayed, insulted and physically mistreated. The murder accusation and suspense may add pressure; check in about how these scenes feel as the story unfolds.