The Silver Child (The Silver Sequence, Book 1)
Kids say
Based on 1 review
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that although light on action, this story showcases the author's vivid and bizarre imagination.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Six children are drawn by forces they don't understand to Coldharbour, a miles-long stretch of garbage dumps and landfill inhabited only by roving gangs of children. Each of the six is changing, some more horrifically than others, and they are drawn together, as each feels the presence of the others and hears a roar and a wingbeat that can't be heard by others.
Milo is changing the most, as his body begins shedding hair and skin, turning gold and then silver. Thomas has a power to strengthen, heal, and calm others. Twins Emily and Freda scuttle on all fours like insects. Walter has become twelve feet tall, with weight and strength to match. And Helen is able to hear the thoughts of others. Together they try to support each other through their changing, and prepare for what comes next.
Is It Any Good?
This first book in a planned series, The Silver Sequence, spends most of its time setting up the characters and situation. That's not to say that the characters have much depth, but just that the changes they're going through are described at some length. The setting, in the dumps of Coldharbour, is fairly vivid, but there's not much action -- this first volume is pretty much all setup. Perhaps it will pick up in future volumes.
Meanwhile, the author is exercising his bizarre imagination in interesting and unusual directions, and kids who like that sort of thing may be intrigued. Very little here is ordinary or predictable -- even the nature of the approaching evil, hardly more than hinted at in this first book, seems unlike typical fantasy fiction. McNish has made a start that promises more than it delivers so far. If he can pick up the pace and get the action rolling in the next book, though, this series could become very interesting indeed.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Thomas' questionable actions. He always seems to have reasons for them, though, which can be discussed. Would you do what he did? Why or why not?
Book Details
- Author: Cliff McNish
- Genre: Fantasy
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
- Publication date: May 1, 2005
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 12
- Number of pages: 192
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate