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Wild Child: Growing Up a Nomad by Ian Mathie (view source)
Revision as of 07:28, 29 May 2019
, 07:28, 29 May 2019no edit summary
The business of 'manning up' never seems to have bothered Ian. He had his own agenda of inquisitiveness and stubborn independence which neither parent pushed or helicoptered. Instead they encouraged his survival skills and self-efficacy, that feeling of personal 'can do' which is core to success in engineering projects.
A reader or viewer who knows [[My Family and other Other Animals by Gerald Durrell]] will recognise Ian's scientific curiosity to discover the poisonous creatures of Africa. He learned to evaluate the danger and respect them all. He used his knowledge to cut squeamish school bullies in England down to size: a good tactic to be frightened by nothing and no-one in Africa.
This is an interesting read for anyone questioning the opportunities for independence offered to children today. If you enjoy ''Wild Child'', you may also like [[Twenty Chickens for a Saddle by Robyn Scott]] and there are lots more African books reviewed by The Bookbag.