Evie and the Animals

Author: Matt Haig
Illustrator: Emily Gravett
Publisher: Canongate Books
Details: 256 pages; £6.49
ISBN: 978-1786894281

On the face of it, Evie and the Animals appears to be just a fantastical tale of a girl who has the ability to communicate with animals, but there are so many layers waiting to be discovered. 

After the death of her mother, her grief-stricken father bans Evie from using her talents, warning her of the dire consequences she will face. The book boldly proclaims on the cover, “dare to be you”, but would you be brave enough to be yourself even if this means putting everyone you loved in grave danger? Unfortunately, a chance encounter with a lion forces Evie to make that terrible choice and sets off a cataclysmic chain of events that brings her face to face with a dangerous and evil man.

Not only would this book make a wonderful class read with its intriguing and thrilling plot it also offers a wealth of themes that can be explored in the classroom. Evie’s greatest wish is to save our planet from destruction, she will bombard anyone who will listen about the need to protect the Amazon and to stop hunting endangered animals. So it is perfectly pitched to spark conversations around climate change and understand how we as individuals can have a positive impact by making small changes. Matt Haig’s strength is stepping into the hearts and minds of his characters thus allowing his readers to truly empathise with their daily struggles in difficult times. Emily Gravett’s stunning illustrations capture the wonder of this magical and intriguing story perfectly. An absolute joy of a book which deserves a place in every school library.

Jo Clarke is school librarian at Whitchurch Church of England Primary in Hampshire. She writes a book blog (bit.ly/bookloverJo) and tweets @bookloverJo

Pupil reviews

‘This book leaves you hanging on the edge’

Evie isn’t a normal girl, she has a special talent that allows her to communicate with animals without others knowing. But someone in particular has the same talent but uses it for negative impact and feels empowered by others around him with the talent as well. This suspense-filled book leaves you hanging on the edge of the cover but is filled with a hint of horror as you begin to reach the end of this page turner. I would rate this truly adventurous book five stars.

Maisie, age 10

‘I would recommend this to any ages’ 

Evie adores animals! Everyone thinks she is a bit strange, what they do not know is that she has the powers to read the minds of animals. One night, Evie has a dream, she tells a snake not to eat a poison dart frog because it will die, and that is where we meet Mortimer J Mortimer. He has the same magical powers as Evie, but uses them in his attempt to conquer the world. I would definitely recommend this book to any ages.

Emily, age 10

‘I would describe this in 3 words: danger, animals and hero’

Evie has a talent that can let her hear the thoughts of an elephant, and make friends with a dog and a sparrow. After a face-to-face encounter with a lion, things start to go wrong. Her family and every animal in town is in danger. Step into a world filled with secrets and an evil man known as Mortimer J Mortimer. This is a gripping adventure. I would describe this book in three words: danger, animals and hero. I would rate this five stars out of five.

Evie, age 10

‘Friendship, kindness and power’

Evie and the Animals is a book about friendship, kindness and power. The main character, Evie Trench, is a very determined girl and has a very special talent. What she doesn’t know is this talent could put her and her family in danger. Evie’s mother was killed by an Australian wandering spider that was being controlled by the man she should fear the most, Mortimer J Mortimer. Five out of five stars for making me feel different about some animals and making them sound less scary.

Cate, age 10

‘Dare to be you!’

Evie and the Animals is a fantastic book about danger, daring and adventure with one important message: dare to be you! If you like stories about animals with a hero and a villain this is definitely one for you. Could you imagine having a super power? I doubt it. Well, 11-year-old Evie doesn’t have to, she can telepathically communicate with animals. But this talent could put her in grave danger. Four and half out of five stars.

Bronwyn, age 10

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