Amy Wild - Animal Talker

Have you ever wished you could talk to animals? I have and I often imagine what they might be saying to me - a habit that's helped me create the Amy Wild - Animal Talker series. All the animals in the stories speak, but Amy is the only human who can understand what they're saying. I'm not going to tell you why Amy has such an amazing secret power. You'll discover that when you read the books. You'll also meet the animals of Clamerkin Island who, along with Amy, are the stars of these stories.

The most important of the animals are Plato the parrot, Hilton the Cairn terrier and four cats called Willow, Einstein, Isambard and Bun. Together with Amy, they make up the Clamerkin Clan - the group that look after the Island and try to put wrong things right. Other animals turn to the Clan for help when they have problems and it's usually those problems that trigger the stories.

Amy Wild and the Silly Squirrel was originally going to be about a hedgehog. But as soon as I created Casper the squirrel, I realized he was such a funny character that he had to be at the centre of the story. The oak tree where he and many other creatures live is going to be cut down, leaving them all homeless. Determined not to let that happen, Amy and the Clan set out to save the tree.

Amy Wild and the Quarrelling Cats was inspired by my own cat having his dinner stolen every night. That's what's happening to Isambard, Willow and Einstein, but not to Bun. He is the only cat in the Clan who isn't losing his food, and he has a reputation for being greedy. So it's not surprising that the others think he is the thief. It's up to Amy to try to prove his innocence so the cats can stop quarrelling.

Following the success of this series in Japan, the two new books in this series have a completely fresh look that I love. Sofia Cardoso has made a brilliant job of the illustrations which really capture the humour of the stories.

Buy The Silly Squirrel from Amazon

Buy The Quarrelling Cats from Amazon

The original eight books have been translated into several different languages, and they are particularly popular in Japan. I love the Japanese editions, although I can't read them. The illustrations and the covers are so good.

Some of the original UK editions are still available, but some are out of print. If you can't find new copies to buy, you may be able to buy used ones or borrow them from a library. I'm hoping that they will eventually be republished with new illustrations by Sofia Cardoso.

Reviews of the original books

Kimpton's entertaining Amy Wild books are proving a big hit with young readers who are enchanted by the spellbinding stories of a girl who can talk to animals. And at their heart are valuable life lessons about kindness, helping friends, honesty and understanding.

Lancashire Evening Post review of The Furry Detectives

The well constructed, simple plot makes for an exciting read and the quirky illustrations enliven the text on nearly every page.

Carousel review of The Lost Treasure

The original books

	The Secret Necklace Shortlisted for the Explore Books Award Amy doesn't want to move away from her friends to live on Clamerkin Island. But when she arrives, her great-aunt gives her a necklace with a secret power and Amy discovers she can talk to animals when she's wearing it. Amy can't wait to make lots of new furry and feathery friends ... but will it be that simple? Buy from Amazon
	The Musical Mouse Amy's first day at her new school is made even more exciting by the appearance of a musical mouse. The teachers don't like their squeaky visitor. Can Amy find the mouse a new home before the headmaster catches up with it? Buy from Amazon
	The Mystery Cat A storm has hit the Island and left Amy with a problem - a playful ginger cat who's lost his home and his memory. Amy wants to look after the mystery cat, but can she track down his owners before his naughty antics get her into real trouble. Buy from Amazon
	The Furry Detectives Amy and her animal friends turn detective when things start to go missing on the Island. They soon discover there's a feathery or furry thief at work, but can they catch the culprit before anything else is stolen? Buy from Amazon
	The Great Sheep Race Amy's thought of a great fund raiser for her school fair - a Great Sheep Race. But the sheep on the Island have rather woolly ideas when it comes to running. Can Amy and her animal friends get them on the right track before the big day? Buy from Amazon
	The Star-Struck Parrot Amy is thrilled when she's picked to be an extra in a movie being filmed on the Island. But Plato, the star-struck parrot, dreams of being on the big screen too. Can Amy help Plato land his perfect part? Buy from Amazon
	The Lost Treasure When an ancient ring is discovered on Clamerkin Island, everyone starts digging for lost treasure - turning the animals' lives upside down. Can Amy help them without revealing the secret of her magic necklace? Buy from Amazon
	The Vanishing Cat Amy loves being part of the secret clan that looks after the animals on Clamerkin Island. When one of her furry friends goes missing, Amy faces her biggest mystery yet? Can she save Willow, the Siamese cat? Buy from Amazon

A note for American readers
The Amazon links are for the English editions. In the USA, you can buy the Amy Wild books with American spellings from Usborne Books and More.