[.ca] Skellig (ISBN 038532653X)

From Amazon.com:
"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

What's all the fuss about?:
I read this to my daughter a few years ago, and for the life of me I can't figure out why this won awards in Britain. It's a strange little story, but neither characters nor the plot are all that interesting. The writing is fine but nothing to brag about. It's just O.K.

Skellig:
I find Skellig to be a book about discovery and of oneself and about doing kind acts that are often unnoticed.

Skellig- a well thought out book:
Skellig is an angel who meets mina and micheal he has just moved into a new house. Michaels sister is dying and has been sent to hospital skellig is he babys guardian angel and goes to see her she has had an operation and he helps to give her strngth to live. Skellig is a great book as it keeps you guessing and when you coem up with an answer you realise you were wrong very good!

Skellig, David Almond, K. Nam, P.3:
Michael and his family moved to a new house. It was supposed to be for the best. He also has a new baby sister that is very ill and makes his family worry. Michael feels helpless. The new house is a filthy, dusty, and dark place, which once dwelt a sick old man who has recently died. To Michael it is a demolition site or a rubbish dump. HIs parents forbid him to go anywhere in the house until it is cleaned up and safe, but Michael is curious and wants to explore. One day he steps into the dark and mysterious garage of the new house with a flashlight. There are pieces of "blue bottles", rubbish, old chests of drawers, and broken washbasins. The wood and cloth on the seats of chairs are rotting away and bags of cement are lying all around. He explores throughout the garage flashing his flashlight all around. He finds a figure that looks like a man sitting on a chair that is beside a window. He is filthy with blue bottles in his hair and he's pale. Michael is frightened but curious so he speaks to the figure. The figure reveals his name as "Skellig". His voice is squeaky because he hasn't spoke for a few years and Michael finds out he has survived eating bugs and mice. Skellig seems to have Arteritis and has trouble moving. Across the street a girl named Mina lives there. She helps Michael to take care of Skellig. They aren't sure if Skellig is a man, bird, angel, or somthing beyond imagination. They take care of him and in return Skellig helps Michael's baby sister get better. When Skellig gets well he flys away into the sky without a single trace. This book was great. It was a hand gripping novel which, i couldn't put down. One of my favorite quotes from this book is "27 and 53" from page 19. 27 and 53 is a combination of Skellig's favorite Chinese take-out that Michael usually got for him while taking care of Skellig. Another quote i liked from this book was "He sounded like he was loving it, or he was in pain, or both those things together" from page 29. This was when Michael gave Skellig 27 and 53, which was very descriptive. I also like this book because it had alot of words that made the pictures form in my head, which made it look real when you imagined it. It was a cliff hanger not only in each chapter, but seemed like a cliff hanger in each of the paragraphs. The characters were interesting and had unique personalities of their own, like Mina. This book was "mysterious" and unpredictable like most books i have read. It had a happy ending and it showed that some problems got solved and some didn't. My favorite part of this book was when Michael goes in to the garage and discovers that there is a "creature"that hasn't been out in years. It would frightening if that really happened to anyone but the fact that Michael discovered Skellig is what the story is all about. Skellig is mysterious and a character that made a mistake long before, that Michael and Mina help him solve. The descriptions that the author, David Almond brings Skellig into life that you can really see even though this book contained no pictures. Skellig is a great book and David Almond is a brilliant author. I truly enjoyed this book.

How many changes 1 boy can go through in life:
I recommend Skellig for 10-14 years old boys and girls. If you like mysteries and like to be left hanging, this is definitely a book to read! I liked this book because of the weird things that happened. There are some things that leave you wondering. At one point in the book the old man says, "27 and 53" and you might think it doesn't have to do with anything, but it appears throughout the whole book. Mike's friend says to him, "What's wrong with you?" That leaves you hanging because by this point you're so into the book, you want to know what happened. Even though it's not one of those really important parts but it's a mystery that the author throws in to keep you wondering. But in the end you finally find the answer to all the mystery's and the problems. That was why I liked this book because at first I was confused but in the end it all came together.