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    Skellig
    Skellig
    Skellig
    Audiobook3 hours

    Skellig

    Written by David Almond

    Narrated by David Almond

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    David Almond’s Printz Honor–winning novel celebrates its 10th anniversary!

    Ten-year-old 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. . . . What is this thing beneath the spiders' webs and dead flies? A human being, or a strange kind of beast never before seen? The only person Michael can confide in is his new friend, Mina. Together, they carry the creature out into the light, and Michael's world changes forever. . . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
    Release dateApr 28, 2009
    ISBN9780739385869
    Author

    David Almond

    David Almond, 1951 in Gateshead geboren, ist einer der bedeutendsten britischen Kinder- und Jugendbuchautoren der Gegenwart. Er wurde unter anderem mit der Carnegie Medal (1998), dem Hans Christian Andersen-Preis (2010), dem Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize (2015) und dem James Krüss Preis für internationale Kinder- und Jugendliteratur (2022) ausgezeichnet. David Almond lebt mit seiner Familie in Northumberland (England). Instagram: @davidjohnalmond

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    Reviews for Skellig

    4/5

    845 ratings85 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Ten-year-old Michael faces more than a child his age should bear, with his family’s move to a house in poor repair and his prematurely born sister’s fight for life. As Michael explores the garage, he encounters a strange creature who changes his life. Is he a man, some sort of beast, or maybe even an angel? Soon Michael’s new friend and neighbor, Mina, shares in the secret.

      This is an unexpectedly touching story. Michael’s intense worry for his baby sister manifests in acts of kindness toward the creature in the garage. Old soul Mina is a source of comfort for Michael and understands him in a way that only another child can. The author’s audio narration captures the innocence and awe of these children. My only reservation about this story is the occasional cursing. It would have been out of place in the home I grew up in and among my elementary school classmates.
    • 5/5
      This is the kind of children's book that is wasted on most children: certainly on the child that left a mangled copy in a back alley near our house. It should never be given to a child at school, but rather left on a high shelf labelled "unsuitable" so that the deserving few can stumble across it. It took me less than two hours to read, and it touched me. MB 30-viii-2021
    • 2/5
      children's fiction (4th-6th grades). This starts off pretty well--boy finds strange man in the (soon-to-be-demolished) garage; the man appears deathly ill, eats bugs, craves Chinese takeout food, and inspires the boy to help him. Also, he has funny lumps on his back where an angel's curled up wings would be--but he's not an angel--or is he? Chapters are short and quick, but the middle and ending plots are more drama than gritty mystery (baby sister really sick and needing surgery, boy's friends don't get along with his homeschooled neighbor Mina) have less boy-appeal. (The story would probably would hold kids' attention ok if read aloud in a classroom, but I was personally kind of disappointed.) The homeschooled neighbor-girl Mina is alright as a character, though the frequent William Blake quotes get kind of preachy/annoying.
    • 4/5
      First encountered this as an audio cassette with the author reading - so when I read the book I had his Newcastle accent firmly in place and adding rythm and rhyme to every page. Not that it needs any addition - the first person voice works really well and the book captures a lovely synthesis between a magical world (Skellig), an everyday world (school and moving house) and a world in crisis (sick baby sister).
    • 4/5
      This book is eerie and unsettling, in a good way. It broaches topics that are often presented in a much more on the nose sort of way in children and YA novels. But in this book, they are danced with and approached with a certain amount of caution and reverence. The fact that the titular character is at once magical and all-too-real, frightening and comforting, of and above earthly things is deeply interesting and appropriate.

      It is a book that stands at the middle of spectrums of life and death; natural and supernatural; fear and awe; Chinese food & beer and the sweetest nectar; and asks you what the difference between the two is if there even is one.

      There are some aspects of this book that are less than it's interesting questions though. I found the truncation of sentences, chapters, and the surrounding plot to leave it feeling more skeletal and incomplete. Some of the repetitions of descriptions left me confused and unsure if threre was something I was missing. Overall though, very worth the read for all ages.
    • 2/5
      Deeply disappointed. I don't enjoy fantasy novels or homeschool advocates so that might be one reason it received a low grading! But also confusing in parts and repetitive.
    • 3/5
      Weird, and not pleasant. Skellig is very strange, and what he triggers in Mina and Michael is nice but weird. But Skellig is a distraction from the baby and the baby is a distraction from Skellig...I don't know, it didn't really work for me. The very short chapters didn't help, either.
    • 4/5
      A lovely short novel, variously considered children's and young adult, about a boy who meets a magical creature in a time of crisis in his family.

      10-year old Michael's family has just moved across town to a derelict house his father is renovating. He can still attend his old school, but it's harder to get together with old friends. Michael's baby sister is very ill and, he suspects, she may die. One day he disobeys his parents' instructions and goes looking around the falling-down garage at the new house and discovers a strange humanoid, himself almost dead. Michael and a creatively-minded home-schooled girl in his new neighborhood begin visiting and bringing food and medicine to the creature, Skellig, who turns out to be not at all who, or what, they thought. As Michael's sister gets sicker and sicker, Skellig begins to change, and Michael learns to really listen to the sounds around him.
    • 4/5
      Michael moves with his family to a house that needs a lot of work. His mother gives birth to a premature baby - a little girl whose survival is in question.
      Micheal finds an unlikely friend in the somewhat precocious Mina, a little girl neighbor who is home-schooled, and a much more unlikely friend in Skellig... a mysterious winged man who he finds dying in the crumbling car garage behind his new home.
      What is Skellig? And can he help Michael's baby sister, struggling to stay alive?
      (In spite of her occasional cockiness, Mina was my favorite character in this book.)
    • 4/5
      Gorgeous, gorgeous book. So much packed into one story. Skellig questions, in a gentle way, where we've come from, who we are, and who we might become, and left me with a renewed sense of wonder at the natural world around me.
    • 3/5
      Ugh. Predictable rubbish. Not an original thought in this book. The only thing tolerable about it was the realistic dialogue.
    • 2/5
      Found this one to be a bit shallow and one-dimensional. I didn't have sympathy for any of the characters and would probably have put the book down if it had not been short. I know it's a juvenile-oriented book, but that doesn't mean that it has to lack substance.
    • 4/5
      3.5 stars

      Michael and his family have just moved. His baby sister is not doing well, health-wise. When Michael is exploring he finds someone – a little... different – in the garage.

      It was good. It's children's lit, so it moved quite quickly: sentences and chapters were short. I mostly enjoyed the story, but I am unsure whether or not I liked Michael's new friend, Mina. It was a short book, so it was a quick read.
    • 3/5
      I admit that I had a hard time getting into this book. I actually had to restart it once. Having listened to the whole thing it was an interesting book. It was beautifully written and there are so many unanswered questions about Skellig and his origins. I was glad to see how it all turned out. The extra content was extremely interesting. I liked hearing about the author's inspiration and Mina's journal entry. The music I did not enjoy as much but I think it just wasn't what I was expecting.
    • 4/5
      A strange and atmospheric novel, full of questions and no answers.
    • 5/5
      Phenomenal storytelling! I haven't read a book of this caliber in a loooonnnnng time.
    • 4/5
      Loved this book almost as much as My Name is Mina! I enjoyed Almond's beautiful writing and wonderful story of compassion. I think young readers would enjoy debating what Skellig is and hopefully, learn from Michael and Mina's willingness to help this broken creature.
    • 4/5
      Michael's new baby sister has fallen ill, and his world is quickly falling apart. Then he finds someone, or something, in his family's dilapidated garage who will change is life forever.
    • 5/5
      Although we meet the character Mina, from My Name is Mina, Skellig is actually about a young boy Michael's experience with the unknown. Michael's baby sister is very sick and death seems to be looming all around. However, a mysterious stranger appears just as Michael seems to need something or someone to put his faith in. A reader's personal life will certainly bring out various meanings of the novel. I personally loved the beautiful allusions and religious messages submerged in this text.
    • 4/5
      David Almond skillfully weaves a tale of friendship and fantasy in Skellig. Mina and Michael become fast friends by befriending Skellig, a creature that appears to be equal parts missing and mystical healer. Redemptive themes abound as love heals both Skellig, Michael, Mina and Michael's baby sister.

      Junior high and middle school students seem to be the intended audience, but older youth and young at heart will glory in the rich tapestry of imagery and allusion woven throughout the textual tapestry of this book
    • 5/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed Skellig. I love that I was able to learn more about Mina and Michael's beautiful friendship. I would absolutely use this in my classroom. I love that it is up to the reader to determine what Skellig actually is. I still am not sure if I have decided yet.
    • 5/5
      Skellig, the magical and mysterious man in the garage is just one of several things young Michael must juggle as his baby sister ails, his old and new friends conflict, and his new home struggles to live up to its potential. Watching Michael successful navigate his troubles with kindness and love is very satisfying.
    • 4/5
      The opening sentence of the book really pulled me into the story. The story covers the themes of friendship, family, love, hope, and belief in dreams. It is told from the point of view of Michael, the young boy in the story. We see his hopes, fears, and dreams. It is a wonderful story of the power of love, friendship, and family. I am an immediate David Almond fan!
    • 4/5
      Skellig by David Almond is the story of a young boy Michael, who has moved with his family to a big new house. What was initially an adventure, fixing up the house, turns out to be another burden on the family when Michael’s new sister becomes ill. With his Mom and Dad’s attention turned to the new baby Michael had time to explore and find new friends. His first friend, Mina, tells him all about William Blake, blackbirds, and how going to school is for fools. His other friend, a creature that isn’t quite human and isn’t quite alive, tells him to go away. Skellig’s magical realism and the parallels between the baby and the creature might be difficult for some very young kids go grasp. The Horn Book Magazine begins its review, “The line between reality and fantasy can be very thing, and the interval between life and death can be even thinner.” Almond masterfully depicts life and death, reality and fantasy. This would be an excellent choice for discussion particularly for the readers who might not pick up on some of the more subtle aspects of the story.

      Almond also addresses several of the I’s in Skellig because this is a bit of a coming of age novel; Michael is learning a lot about the world in a short period of time. In particular he learns about Integrity, Independence and Identity. Michael is learning to make his own choices and is, in his own healthy way, rebelling against his parents. 5Q 5P

      Vasilakis, N. (May 01, 1999). Skellig. Horn Book Magazine, 75, 3.)
    • 3/5
      4Q, 2P (My VOYA ratings)
      I personally did not enjoy reading Skellig, but I recognize that as simply a difference in taste rather than in some fault of the book. I rated the book 4P, primarily for its lovely writing—while I did not enjoy the overall story of Skellig, I quite enjoyed Almond’s use of language, which was especially heightened when listening to the audiobook. I was also impressed by Michael’s characterization, and felt that he was both a unique and authentic portrayal of a teenage boy.
      Based on my talks with other librarians and teachers, who have related that teens rarely check it out and when they do, often return this book unread, I rated this book low on the VOYA scale for popularity. However, again, I don’t believe this is necessarily a fault of the book itself, but is instead a product of faulty advertising.
      The summary on the back of the book implies more fantastic and mystical elements than are actually present in the book, and I can imagine this would be a turnoff to many readers (it certainly was to me). As librarians, it’s our job to set up proper expectations in our booktalks: instead of telling children “if you like fantasy/supernatural elements, you will enjoy this book” (as the summary seems to set up), we need to tell them “if you like novels with lyrical prose, strong characters you get to know intimately, and the exploration of relationships between people, you will enjoy this book.” That might avoid both a) teens picking up the book, not liking it, and returning it without reading it, and b) teens who would like the book never wanting to pick it up.
    • 5/5
      Michael and his family have recently moved to a house that needs a lot of work, when his baby sister is born early. Meanwhile, he finds a man who seems little more than skin in bones in the broken down garage, and together he and his new friend Mina try to help him - but who is he, and what is he?

      Some books are easy to read, review, and move on. This is not one of them. Skellig, though short, is one of those stories that lingers as you think about the characters and writing and events. Michael realistically feels a little bit of jealousy but also deeply cares about his sister. Mina is homeschooled and proud of it, and she's so sure of who she is that you can't help but love her. And Skellig... well, he's a bit of an enigma. He's a being that can't be explained in just a few words. In fact, I feel like I should really reread the book before I try to make any further pronouncements. I was left smiling and just a bit unsettled, in the sense that I couldn't quite wrap my brain around the story without thinking some more.
    • 4/5
      4Q,2P. Had I reviewed Skellig the moment I finished the book, I would have rated it at 3. However, with a little time and reflection, I realized what a lovely story David Almond tells. It is not an energetic story, but it has heart. It weaves struggle and magic to create seamless portrayal of magical realism. Even with magical elements, the characters are believable - each has a unique personality and struggle. As much as I appreciate the story, I feel few teens would connect with it. However, I imagine teens who are open to the genre and willing to give some thought to the story would adore this book.
    • 3/5
      3Q, 3P
      I had mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand I thought it was very scary and suspenseful, almost above the reading level. It had the atmosphere and feeling of an adult horror novel for a lot of it (I kept thinking back to the way I felt when I read Clive Barker's The Hellbound Heart - this feeling of oppression, like there was something lurking rightthere). On the other hand, the plot (or lack thereof) was overly simplistic and had very little movement. The conflict was there in that Michael's baby sister was sick, but it never felt like a problem that Michael needed to be doing anything about, until suddenly it was, and suddenly this random magical creature had the ability to do something about it. For as short of a book as it was, it started very slowly and then rushed towards the end. I think I would like to reread this though, given how much critical acclaim it has received. I read it very quickly in one sitting, and maybe it deserves a better chance to get to me.
    • 3/5
      3Q, 3P
      This book felt like the horror story that never was. The narrator's pacing in the audiobook was extremely rushed, and it got my heart rate up for...no reason. I think if I had read the book instead, I would have reacted differently. Aside from enjoying the narrator's accent, however, I felt moderately disappointed at the end.
      The story itself was about a simple, strange event that was complicated by Michael's constant mental dialogue. I'm not sure what the point of Mina was, other than someone Michael could sometimes confide in; she felt rather out-of-place. I would be interested in reading Almond's "My Name is Mina," which is based off of her story, just to see her side of things.
    • 4/5
      4Q, 3P

      This book was such a mysterious and beautiful story about Michael, a ten-year-old boy adapting to a new house that’s falling apart and dealing with the illness of his baby sister all at the same time. It’s a dramatic tale and will enchant young readers who are interested in stories of mystery and fantasy. The friendship between Michael and Mina is beautiful and is full of innocence and wonder.