In the Wild
In the Wild is a children's book by novelist Zadie Smith and poet Nick Laird, the married writing pair who have previously collaborated on illustrated books for young readers including Weirdo and The Surprise. Written with their own children in mind, the book carries on their interest in stories that mix humor, whimsy, and a real respect for the inner lives of kids. The narrative follows young characters into a setting where the everyday world tilts toward the strange, with quick pacing and bursts of imaginative invention typical of Smith and Laird's earlier picture books. Smith is best known for adult novels such as White Teeth and On Beauty, while Laird is a Northern Irish poet and novelist, and together they have built a small parallel body of work for younger readers. The book is illustrated in their familiar warm, slightly offbeat style.
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What you might want to know about In the Wild
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
A middle grade adventure by Zadie Smith and Nick Laird, written for their children.
No, In the Wild reads as a stand alone, though fans of Weirdo will recognize the tone.
Yes, she co writes children's books with her husband Nick Laird alongside her adult fiction and essays.
In the Wild was written by Zadie Smith, published in 2024 by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
In the Wild is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.