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Skellig
- By David Almond
- Genre: Family Life
Common Sense Media says
This gorgeously weird novel captivates readers.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a beautifully written, unique, moody story that has strong emotional appeal for avid readers. Flowing language conveys a story of two children determined to help another, and to grow closer to each other.
What's the story?
Michael's family has just moved to an old fixer-upper. But his baby sister is in the hospital with a heart problem, and Michael feels devastated and helpless.
When he sneaks into the crumbling garage, Michael finds a stranger named Skellig living (or apparently dying) there, a man immobilized by arthritis, subsisting on insects and spiders, and surrounded by owl pellets. While helping him, Michael discovers that the man is oddly light and has strange growths on his back that may be wings.
As Skellig begins to inhabit Michael's dreams, he and his new friend, Mina, help Skellig into an abandoned house. There Skellig seems to have an odd relationship with the owls, who bring him food. And as Michael's mother keeps vigil by the baby's hospital bed, Michael begins to feel his sister's heart beating within his own, and Skellig appears in his mother's dreams as well.
Is it any good?
David Almond's gorgeously weird first novel holds readers entranced in a spell woven of moonlight, owls, and poetry. The author uses language to weave an intricate spell, and there are unforgettable scenes that are burned into memory in an instant: the moment Michael first discovers Skellig, covered with spider webs and dead bluebottles; a room lit only by shafts of moonlight, in which the children and Skellig join hands and dance in a circle that floats into the air; Michael's mother, half-dreaming, seeing Skellig lifting her ailing baby out of her hospital bed, and watching as wings seem to sprout from the infant's back.
Another unusual and compelling feature is that it is never really clear just what Skellig is -- human, bird, angel, or all three. But in this strange and soaringly lyrical story, Michael and Mina are comfortable with ambiguity ("Sometimes we just have to accept there are things we can't know," Mina says), and the reader of this haunting story will have to accept this as well.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the mysterious Skellig and whether he's part animal, part human or something altogether different. Do you think Skellig is an angel? Do you believe in angels? Why or why not? If you had to draw a picture of Skellig, what would he look like? Parents and kids might also enjoy researching the works of English poet William Blake, whom Mina refers to on several occasions.
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AGE
an entertaining read
I think this book is good because it makes you think about how nice you can be instead of being selfish. This is a good read for an 11+ but it might bore some older teenagers. Michael controlled himself by being kind to skellig instead of taking out his anger on him because his sister is very unwell and he is much stressed .
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AGE
Good for younger kids!
Skellig...
I think this book was ok, but I’m not sure it was my type of book. At some points in the story it gives good messages and bad messages at the same time. The characters in the book can be kind at time although Skellig doesn’t want anything to do with anyone! The story line can be bad like when the baby almost dies. It can be interesting at times, but can also be boring. The magical thing about this book is how Skellig is an angel in the end.
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AGE
Skellig !!!
So far this book is an inspirational and sets pictures in my head. The language is powerful here is an example on it "Dead bluebottles were scatted on his hair and shoulders. The book is a strong minded book and is well written. Also you get engaged to the characters as it is a heart throbbing story .But there is a little language. Overall i recommend this book to imaginative children.
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AGE
I think this book is a good influence on kids because,it shows love and care such as Micheals little baby sister is in hospital with a heart problem but he shows graet care by taking care of skelig an old angel.On the other hand his dad takes his aggression on Micheal.So overall this is a great influence on kids and shows to give people a second chance.
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AGE
nice and simple !
Skellig....
I enjoyed this book and it was written fabulously ! Some bits of the book are like the real world and how you need to have friends to get through life. This is a bit of a book that interests me how Michael had the idea to help skellig to find his inner him.
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AGE
Skellig: The best book ever.
Skellig is good book and is appropriate for kids age 11+. There is a few words that are maybe not appropriate but they are not anything BAD!!! The dad does drink at one point in the book and wrecks some things but that is not a problem too.
It is a great book as I have read it and also watched the film. It is magical and keeps you on a cliff hanger. Most chapters answer the cliff hangers from the previous chapters and then put you on a cliff hanger in the new one. It is also a mystery to what Skellig is at the beginning of the story and makes you believe in this magical story. It shows you another side of the real world and how life is a great thing for everyone. This snetence in the book intrests me... 'It was already getting light when I got upand tiptoed in to their room. Her cot was beside their bed. They were lying fast asleep with their arms around each other.' I think this a good few sentencesto show how you always need family and friends to get along in life. This book is very educational and is especially good in English. Also it brings alot of good messages across. I would incourage kids 11+ to read it!!!!!
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AGE
good for kids at the age of 9 and 10
Skellig!
I think that skellig gives positive messages and bad messages at the same time. Like with some of the resolutions to some of the problems in the book. The books story line is not very good because it has a weird story line with the baby in hospital dying and the old women in hospital that passed away. But it does have some positive parts were the baby survives in the end of the story.
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AGE
Skellig is a magical and inspiring book I couldn't put down. It is full of truths, inspiration and friendship. It is a book that you would either love it or hate it. As Michael is moving house with his mum pregnant it is a very tense time for the 10 year old. In one chapter it is calm and relaxing, in the next it’s really haunting. The author fills your head with lots of questions and in some cases they never get answered. In part of the book Skellig says "27 and 53" and it’s not till a few chapters later you find out what it is. This is a book I would really want to read again.
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Kid, 12 years old
January 26, 2011
AGE
imagintion of skillig
I think this book is alright,it takes i while to get into it.
skillig is a magicial creature from out of this world,this book teaches lessons of belief and friendship although this story could never be true it really is inspirational.This is great for people with understanding and belief aswell as a mix of Imagination, skillig seems to repeat the same phrase over again which is "what do you want ". this book stright away is captivating.
Overall it is a alright book and think it is a mix of violence and swearing.
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AGE
A mystery unsolved
Skellig is a book full of adventure, kindness and friendship. Micheal's life changes for ever when he discovers a new, wrinkled figure in his garage and he makes an emotional journey to try and look after him behind his parents back. Micheal's school best friends, Leaky and Coot, don't beleive him when he tells them about Skellig, the mysterious creature, who likes to eat 27 and 53. Bad news occurs when Micheal's new baby sister is taken ill in the local hospital and his family is devestated. This book is full of mysteries and I highly recomend this book to anybody.
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| Author: | David Almond |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Family Life |
| Publication date: | January 1, 1998 |
| Number of pages: | 182 |
| Paperback price: | $4.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 9 - 12 |
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