We’ve all been stuck in a boring classroom lesson at some point, where your mind drifts far away from the droning voice of a teacher to places much more vivid and alive. Maybe you doodled in your notebook, maybe you stared out the window, maybe you dozed off, or maybe, like Ishan Shanavas, you imagined what lay beyond that windowpane. In the opening pages of The Light of Wilder Things, we meet a teenage boy who sees something that looks like a thin, rope-like creature wriggling about. He does what most of us wouldn’t dare, he leaps out the classroom window to see what it was. That one small moment sets the tone for what unfolds into a tender, funny, and fiercely alive memoir of a teenager who finds his heart in the wild.
Ishan’s book is part coming-of-age, part ode to the wilderness, and entirely a love letter to the natural world. Through his words, we’re invited into the life of a boy who feels more at home in forests and wetlands than in school corridors and structured schedules. With each chapter, we journey alongside him as he explores India’s richly diverse ecosystems, from the cloud-kissed peaks of the Himalayas to the rustling forests of the Eastern Ghats and the deep green hues of the Western Ghats.
What makes this memoir truly stand out is its honesty. It doesn’t romanticize nature in the usual, lofty way. Instead, Ishan’s writing is deeply personal—often funny, sometimes vulnerable, and always rooted in observation. His stories brim with real encounters with animals, landscapes, and the people who live closest to nature. And while the book does touch on science and conservation, it never preaches. It simply allows you to see what the author sees: that nature is not separate from us, but deeply intertwined with who we are.
In an age where children are increasingly tethered to screens—scrolling, swiping, and gaming for hours—this book comes as a refreshing, much-needed contrast. Ishan’s childhood, shaped by curiosity and outdoor exploration, is a reminder that the natural world is still the best classroom. His stories showcase how young minds can thrive when given the chance to connect with nature, to ask questions no textbook can answer, and to experience firsthand the wild lessons waiting beyond four walls.
The illustrations and photographs, many of which are by the author himself, only deepen the reading experience. They offer visual pauses—moments where you can soak in the beauty, strangeness, and detail of the world he describes. These images, coupled with lyrical prose, make the book not just a memoir but also a sensory journey.
As the chapters progress, so does Ishan’s understanding of the wild—not just as a place of adventure, but as something fragile, threatened, and in need of fierce protection. The book gently, but firmly, reminds us of what we stand to lose if we don’t act. It’s a call to action but wrapped in stories, not slogans. And that’s what makes it powerful.
In many ways, The Light of Wilder Things isn’t just about Ishan’s life—it’s about all of us. It’s about that inner wild we’ve ignored, the adventures we’ve postponed, and the disconnect we’ve normalised. It asks us to slow down, look around, and remember that the wild isn’t always far away—it’s right outside our windows, if only we choose to look.
This book is a gift to children, to educators, to conservationists, and to anyone who’s ever felt that tug in their chest when they hear birdsong or see a patch of green in a concrete city. It’s a story of one boy’s journey, yes—but it might just inspire you to begin your own.
The Light of Wilder Things by Ishan Shanavas is available for online purchase on Amazon.
