Skellig | 
 enlarge | Author: David Almond
Publisher: Laurel Leaf
Category: Book
List Price: $6.99
Buy Used: $0.01
You Save: $6.98 (100%)
New (36) Used (45) Collectible (2) from $0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  166 reviews
Sales Rank: 65881
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 208
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4 x 0.7
ISBN: 0440229081
EAN: 9780440229087
ASIN: 0440229081
Publication Date: September 11, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: With pride from Motor City. All books guaranteed. Best Service, best prices.
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
"I thought he was dead. He was sitting with his legs stretched out and his head tipped back against the wall. He was covered with dust and webs like everything else and his face was thin and pale. Dead bluebottles were scattered on his hair and shoulders. I shined the flashlight on his white face and his black suit." This is Michael's introduction to Skellig, the man-owl-angel who lies motionless behind the tea chests in the abandoned garage in back of the boy's dilapidated new house. As disturbing as this discovery is, it is the least of Michael's worries. The new house is a mess, his parents are distracted, and his brand-new baby sister is seriously ill. Still, he can't get this mysterious creature out of his mind--even as he wonders if he has really seen him at all. What unfolds is a powerful, cosmic, dreamlike tale reminiscent of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. British novelist David Almond works magic as he examines the large issues of death, life, friendship, love, and the breathtaking connections between all things. Amidst the intensity and anxiety of his world, Michael is a normal kid. He goes to school, plays soccer, and has friends with nicknames like Leakey and Coot. It's at home where his life becomes extraordinary, with the help of Skellig and Mina, the quirky, strong-willed girl next door with "the kind of eyes you think can see right through you." Mina and her mother's motto is William Blake's "How can a bird that is born for joy / Sit in a cage and sing?" This question carries us through the book, as we see Michael's baby sister trapped in a hospital incubator; as we see the exquisite, winged Skellig crumpled in the garage; as we meet Mina's precious blackbird chicks and the tawny owls in her secret attic; and as we finally see a braver, bolder Michael spread his wings and fly. Skellig was the Whitbread Award's 1998 Children's Book of the Year, and this haunting novel is sure to resonate with readers young and old. (Ages 10 and older) --Karin Snelson
Product Description
Michael was looking forward to moving into a new house. But now his baby sister is ill, his parents are frantic, and Doctor Death has come to call. Michael feels helpless. Then he steps into the crumbling garage and encounters a strange being who changes his world forever.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 161 more reviews...
 My Favorite Young Adult Novel October 21, 2008
I bought a set for my whole class because this novel is high interest/novice reading level for my 7th grade students with learning disabilities. I love the dark, mysterious mood (great for the Halloween season), the colorful vocabulary, and the British culture that is woven throughout the book. Students at this age (10-13) are able to connect with the characters and their challenges. The interpretation of who Skellig is (man, bird, angel, ???) is determined solely by the reader. The author's description lends itself well to lessons on character traits, relationships, and setting. We have great class discussions about "sarcasm," as Skellig is quite the sarcastic being! The kids LOVE IT! Get a copy for your preteen TODAY!!!
 bittersweet June 12, 2008
Some people may find some kind of message in these books, but I've read Clay and now Skellig by this author and the quantity of religion in those books is very annoying, plus I'm an atheist. Maybe religious people will appreciate more the book, anyway there are passages in which religion is not mentioned that are entertaining.
Skellig January 27, 2008
When Micheal moves into his new house he discovers a creature living in his garage. He does not know what to do or who he can trust to keep it a secret... And then he Met Mina. Mina is a home-schooled, artistic girl that quickly befriends Micheal and Skellig.
I guess you'll just have to read the book to find out what happens next. But, don't worry. It's ANYTHING but a chore. You'll love it, just like I did.
A great mystery for all ages.
Pefectly Done January 24, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
After reading Skellig, I wanted to go back and bump some of my previous YA reviews down a notch. This beautiful book is living, breathing work of art. A mixture of storytelling, setting, character and mystical brilliance. Michael finds the strange creature while exploring his family's new home, a dilapidated English country house. What is this sickly man-bird thing doing in the crumbling garage? Oh but the story is not just about the mysterious creature, interesting as it is. There is Mina, Michael's intelligent and creative home-schooled neighbor. Mina introduces Michael to the colors of a blackbird, the nesting habits of owls as well as the poetry of William Blake. They talk about mythology, evolution, pomegranates and Michael's fears about his new baby sister who is terribly ill and doesn't have a name yet. Together Michael and Mina help Skellig who bestows his thanks on the two by showing them something remarkable. The writing is captivating, concise and dreamy at the same time. No wasted or boring sentences anywhere. This book is listed for ages 9-12 who I think will enjoy it on one level but there is more to be taken from this little gem by high school students and adults.
A gently powerful book May 25, 2007
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I have read this book to 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. As the reviews from children indicate, this book might be best as a read-to for they miss the subtlety in language and image: exactly where the book shines.
Almond is a master at exploring teen angst, perhaps his background as a Special Needs teacher helped here. The protagonist is a bundle of angst and he has no clue of how to deal with it. Almond puts his characters into a twilight realm, a world of half-closed eyes. Is it fantasy or imagination? Real or not? It is there the characters wind their way to a resolution.
The language is beautiful. The prose reminds me of Ray Bradbury's but on a more visceral level--an emotionality that speaks of the rawness and magic of youth.
The story abounds with wonderful symbolism (chicks, birds, flying, grounded, etc.) and sharp characterizations (Doctor Death, Skellig himself--a discarded, disused, dusty person(?)who, when in the sunlight, is beautiful) that make this book a supreme read-to for a class or parent. It is a treasure chest layered with mystery, the pain of longing, and the beauty of hoping. Of course children would miss it all on their own. This is a book through which a child needs to be led, like Alice through Wonderland, and it's a great joy to do so.
|
|
|
