When a move to a new house coincides with his baby sister’s illness, Michael’s world seems suddenly lonely and uncertain.
Then, one Sunday afternoon, he stumbles into the old, ramshackle garage of his new home, and finds something magical. A strange creature – part owl, part angel, a being who needs Michael’s help if he is to survive. With his new friend Mina, Michael nourishes Skellig back to health, while his baby sister languishes in the hospital.
But Skellig is far more than he at first appears, and as he helps Michael breathe life into his tiny sister, Michael’s world changes for ever…
Title: Skellig
Author: David Almond
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Date: 1998
Genre: MG Fantasy
Skellig by David Almond: Book Review
Skellig is a book that I feel like I’d heard of, but it wasn’t particularly on my radar. I knew it existed, but didn’t really have it on my TBR list. That was until I did a book swap with two of my blogging friends, and this was the book that one of them chose for us all to read. I’m so glad she did!
I went into this book not particularly knowing what to expect; I knew it was a middle-grade book with fantasy elements, but that was it. It turned out to be a beautiful tale about Michael, a boy coming to terms with living in a new (very run down) house, with a new baby sister who has a heart condition, and with the strange, emaciated creature hidden among the boxes in his beaten up garage.
Surviving on a diet of insects from the floor and food from the bins – what is this creature, and why does he have bumps on his back that seem suspiciously like where angel wings should sit?
Skellig is a book full of juxtapositions: sad but hopeful, glum but bright, and mythical yet oddly realistic. The book is written in lyrical prose that add a magical charm, and makes it feel so engrossed in Michael’s world. I especially loved the character of Mina, who was the perfect blend of intelligence and wit, and she served as a beacon of light for Michael when things turned dark.
Skellig is a story of family, love, imagination, and the importance of friendship. It’s great to see a book with such a warm family bond, even when Michael’s parents sometimes seem distant or focused on his little sister while she fights through her health issues. It’s a short book so it’s a perfect read if you want something quick and engrossing, but with a story that will stay with you for a long time.
