Skellig by David Almond

David Almond does it again. He gently reminds you of the magic that is existence. Through the eyes of Michael we are reintroduced to the connectedness of all living things. His friend Mina sings Blake poetry and shows Michael how to listen more closely to the fabric of life. (I want to return to the days of youth and truly have a day of exploration.)

Skellig could be human, angel or animal--but more than anything he represents the possibilities of the imagination and the beauty of love. This is the book that announced David Almond to the world and I hope that you find the time to marvel at its wonders. Peace!

Kit's Wilderness by David Almond

I recently listened to an interview with David Almond for class and was impressed by his honesty and good humor. He wrote many books and stories before his first, Skellig, actually got published. He wrote for adults primarily but when he made the switch to writing for young adults everything clicked. He said that he felt his writing was the best it had ever been and his writing has only gone up from there. With Kit's Wilderness Almond won the Printz award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.

So Kit's Wilderness. Kit is the main character and lives in a town with his grandfather, mother and father. His new friends include Allie a budding soap opera actress and John Askew an outcast and phenomenal artist. Kit and Askew have an other-worldly connection that both ties them to the past and propels the book to its climax. Beware: there are ghosts flitting about the edges of this book and one in particular, Silky, lives in the mines and has a mischievous nature. I look forward to catching up with Almond's books and plan on Skellig to be my next foray into his world.