ILLUSTRATED BY JOE LILLINGTON
COLOUR EDITION PUBLISHED 6 NOVEMBER 2025 | BLACK AND WHITE PAPERBACK 8 APRIL 2027
FOR AGE 7+ | PUBLISHED BY BLOOMSBURY

Journey across the world alongside enchanting starling migrations in this outstanding new
collection from acclaimed author A. M. Dassu.

Five children in five different countries are connected by the captivating flight of the starling migration
as they undertake their own courageous journeys. From saving an injured starling or being lost and
found in the desert, to bravely venturing into a wolf den or making friends in a new country, these
linked stories are vall infused with resilience and hope. Swooping from North Africa across Europe and
soaring to the UK, each child’s adventure leads to an inner journey: gaining confidence, making friends,
and learning to let go.
With stunning orange and black illustrations dancing on every page in this gift book, readers will
dive into this treasure trove of storytelling and find a diversity of voices united by empathy, exploring
connection and what home truly means to different beings.

These stories represent British children from all sorts of backgrounds and family set ups. Each story focuses on a relatable emotional journey that all children experience, needing to ask for help, feeling left out by younger siblings, desperately wanting a pet or not knowing how to connect with people. The stories display our strong connection to nature through the settings in different countries and landscapes and also show how we can live and interact with nature responsibly.

PRAISE FOR WILD JOURNEY

‘Wise, wonderful and exquisitely woven, Wild Journey swoops and soars, magnificent as a
murmuration. A joy to read!’ – Sophie Anderson, author of The House with Chicken Legs

‘A gorgeous celebration of childhood, family, adventure and the great outdoors. Dassu’s stories
take you on a journey around the world. The perfect gift for a curious child who loves to explore inside their mind.’ – Louie Stowell, author of the Loki: A Bad God’s Guide series

‘A joyful, beautifully written series of stories with so much heart, wisdom, humour and life. I loved the starling and the range of truly global locations connecting so many different lives. Also gorgeously illustrated. A. M. Dassu is a world class storyteller at the top of her game.’ – Piers Torday, author of The Dark Wild

‘A beautiful, breathtaking collection of stories showcasing life, nature and love in all its wonder.’ – Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear

‘A wonderful collection that takes us on vibrant journeys across the world. This is a heartfelt
exploration of migration, courage, and what it can mean to call something “home”, written with
the perfect blend of compassion and adventure that we have come to associate with A.M. Dassu.’ – Dr Graham Fairweather, Librarian

‘A. M. Dassu will not pigeonhole herself as an author, there is no audience she cannot reach and no emotion she cannot engender in her writing. Wild Journey is a lovely collection of short stories, linked by the migration path of starlings, which are brought to life beautifully by Joe Lillington’s illustrations. Perfect bedtime stories with lots to talk about relating to every child’s life.’ – CILIP YLG Librarian, National Conference Exhibition Manager

More on the Bloomsbury website, including an interview with me: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/wild-journey-9781035911899

BUY FROM A CHOICE OF 8 RETAILERS HERE: https://geni.us/WildJourney

⭐️The Jhalak Prize Award 2026, longlist
⭐️A ‘Top 10 Pick’ for the November previews in The Bookseller
⭐️”…stirring, evocative 7+ adventure stories” – a Guardian Book of the Month
⭐️A ‘standout book‘ The Bookseller 
⭐️Cover revealed with The Week Junior in March 2025
⭐️The Week Junior Book of the Week 15^th November 2025 issue “This collection of stories will make you think about home, family and friendship.” plus Ask the Author feature.
⭐️First News recommended reading list on anthologies in 7^th November 2025 issue
⭐️Top 5 Books for Under 13s, The Big Issue
⭐️Wild World (Natural History Museum magazine) ‘Let’s Read…’ feature June 2026 issue
⭐️ Teacher Book Club recommendation
⭐️Hive.co.uk Book of the Month
⭐️School Reading List Fiction Children’s Book of the Month
⭐️LoveReading4Kids November Book of the Month
⭐️Read for Good Books We Love
⭐️Book Clubs in Schools, What to Read Now feature Feb/March 2026