his novels, and which, more importantly give Almond fans an insight into the author and his childhood.He is a wonderful writer whose hugely popular and critically acclaimed work, in the forms of Skellig, Kit's Wilderness and Heaven Eyes, has have made him a firm favourite among young readers, teachers and parents. From the opening story, "The Middle of the World", the reader is taken right into the heart of a small boy growing up in a world where love is plentiful when times are tough, where family means everything and where life and death merge to create something that is ultimately challenging and beautiful. Anyone who has read Almond's novels will instantly identify the core of his ideas. In particular the brief but beautiful "The Angel of Chilside Road" conjures up the stunning images that made the award-winning Skellig so unforgettable. In Counting Stars we learn more about the author, and are privileged to be allowed to share childhood memories that are funny, moving and, most importantly, touched with an unforgettable humanity which will strike a chord with any reader. Don't expect an easy read--some of these stories are challenging, but certainly worth the effort. (Age 11 and over) --Susan Harrison
Skellig - David Almond
Michael can feel his sick baby sister's heart beating inside him, and as long as he can
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feel it he knows she is alive. But as her condition becomes life-threatening and the family faces the nightmare of an operation to save her life, Michael turns to his new friend Mina and the strange being, Skellig, who has been living beneath the crumbling garage at the family's new home. In this most delicate and tender story of a young boy living in fear of death and coming to terms with life, you can almost touch the indefinable magic that Skellig--part owl, part human, part everything and nothing--brings to Michael's unsettled world. With the gentle touch of an angel's breath, Almond, in his first novel for children, lets his characters think, feel and believe without overwhelming sentimentality. A dream of a book to touch even the hardest of hearts. --Susan Harrison
tragedy which killed 117 children--he is befriended by the wretched, sullen John Askew, a boy whose very soul has been fractured by his violent upbringing. As Kit's grieving grandfather begins to lose his grip on life, Kit is irresistibly drawn into a treacherous game played for the highest of stakes. Coming face to face with the ghosts of the wilderness--the space between the houses and the river where the ancient mine once flourished--this game ultimately tests his perceptions of life and death. David Almond, the award-winning author of Skellig, has set this extraordinary novel on a canvas of bleak, uncompromising landscapes which perfectly echo the simmering tensions that drive the story. With its all- consuming, chilling and surprisingly sensual depth Kit's Wilderness is packed tight with emotions that resonate on the page, making it a truly remarkable and unforgettable novel for older children. (Ages 11 and over). --Susan Harrison
Fire Eaters, introduces a bizarre character making a sparse living as a self-mutilating, fire-swallowing street performer. McNulty's existence shakes young protagonist Bobby Burns to the core as he contemplates the end of the world (the year is 1962 and the US and Soviet Union seem to be heading toward nuclear war), power, pain, class and death, as well as friendship. The menace and sweetness in Bobby's life parallels the worlds, big and small, he inhabits. A loving family, seaside home and good friends form the foundation. But a crack in that wall is spreading: Bobby's father is ill, class differences are separating him from his best friend, and a ruthless schoolmaster is forcing Bobby to understand that everything has a price. McNulty's growled refrain--"Pay! You'll not see nowt till you pay!"--reiterates the lesson for the often bewildered, but ever stronger boy. Readers familiar with Almond's other haunting books, including the award-winning Skellig, will welcome this rich, challenging novel. As always, Almond refuses to shy away from the big topics, resulting in a novel dappled with light and dark, filled with wonder and mystery. --Emilie Coulter, Amazon.com
Advantages: Beautifully written, appeals to adults, rare in a children's book Disadvantages: A book of atmosphere, not action
...With 'Counting Stars' it is difficult to know where experience stops and where DavidAlmond's magical imagination takes over. This is Almond's autobiography, his childhood memories, bringing back to life the vivid characters of his past, and the stories that they have to tell.
As with Almond's other books there is a deep religious and spiritual core, verging on the philosophical questions that we all have... where do we come from, what is beyond this life... 'Counting Stars' is the story in which Almond, as a boy, challenges his strong Catholic upbringing, just one of many stories that touch the heart and shake up all we think we know.
Most heart-warming of all is Almond's subtle treatment of death. He brings back those of his life he has lost, his baby sister, his father, his mother, and places them all in Heaven, the memory of his...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
...This book definitely is a very touching and emotional book.
It's about a boy called Michael who moves house and discovers that his baby sister is seriously ill with a heart defect.
Skellig is a part human, part owl who lives under the crumbling garage in Michael's new house. With his new friend Mina he befriends Skellig and this book is typical of DavidAlmonds books. They all seem to tug at your emotions and you feel as though you are inside the book. The book suddenly has got a more deeper, more meaningful edge to it that you just dont get in another authors book.
It's no wonder that this book won the Smarties Book Award.Excellent, well written Literature!
Well done DavidAlmond....
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Heart-warming book, characteristic of Almond's brilliance Disadvantages: If you don't want to get anything out of a children's book, look away!
...DavidAlmond is a writer for children who has come a long way in recent years, gaining much recognition, this book winning the Whitbred Children's Book award.
The Fire Eaters is characteristic of Almond's strong moral messages, drawn from his childhood. The most strking feature is the atmosphere he creates, in this book Bobby Burns is torn between fear of a world on the edge of World War 3 with possible nuclear strikes, and fear for the health of his father. Almond also draws vibrant characters, such as McNulty, a man who astounds audiences with dangerous feats of endurance, but who holds many secrets.
Almond's tone of voice, his northern drawl, shines through with Newcastle and the North of England featuring at the heart of this book.
As with all Almond's books they are not just for children. I have read all of them again and again...
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06.05.2005
23.07.2003
