David Almond

The beautiful and haunting novel that launched David Almond as one of the best children's writers of today 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 . . . Skellig won the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Children's Book Award and is now a major Sky1 feature film, starring Tim Roth and John Simm. David Almond is also winner of the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen award. Powerful and moving - The Guardian This newly jacketed edition celebrates 15 years of this multi-award-winning novel.

Skellig

The story of a young boy living in fear of death and coming to terms with life.

Amna A.

A young boy, moving into a new house. A sick baby sister. A home-schooled neighbor. Adventure. Discover. Hope. Believe. Recover. 
 This was how the book seemed to me. A bit dull, but cute in a way.

Unhappy about his baby sister's illness and the chaos of moving into a dilapidated old house, Michael retreats to the garage and finds a mysterious stranger who is something like a bird and something like an angel.

lexi macham 

i only read this bc we had to read it for school💀

First published in the UK in 1998. See also prequel My name is Mina.

Kirsten Simkiss

I remember reading this book as a child and being enraptured with the adventure of it. Even now, rereading it as an adult, I was still very impressed with the story and the characters. The story follows the troubled life of a young boy named Michael and his new neighbor, Mina. The premise of the story is enchanting and inspiring. It’s a book about hope and growth and kindness. And I think we can all use a reminder from time to time to remember to be kind to others when we can.

While the language is much more simple as an adult reader, I still loved it. I had forgotten much of the plot regarding his infant sister. Skellig is a fantastic book and I think I would happily recommend it to anyone.

Sonja H

Anfangs war ich skeptisch, es beginnt wie ein typisches Kinderbuch: ein schwieriges Erlebnis, ein imaginärer Freund, eine seltsame Komplizin. Doch nach und nach entwickelt sich die Geschichte und bekommt mehr Tiefgang. Es gibt zwar keine wirkliche Charakterentwicklung, aber dennoch wachsen einem die Figuren ans Herz. 
Für Kids finde ich die Handlung etwas gruselig, aber wenn sie vorgelesen und darüber gesprochen wird, ist es ein gutes Buch, das ein schwieriges Thema behandelt.

beth

a basic read, but it was so sweet. i very much enjoyed :)

Caitlyn Johanna Bolton 

Re-read: Read this as a set text for my first year english in High School, loved it then and loved it again!

Jeni Enjaian

A review from my old blog...

I didn't know quite what to think about this book. I kept wondering where the book was going and what the point was. I thought at first that the message of the book was reaching out to the unlovable because the main character brought food as often as he could to this really disgusting creature.

Yes... creature

Skellig, the creature, turned out to be some sort of evolved creature, a cross between a human and some sort of bird. I don't really know what the message of the book and didn't really understand where it was supposed to be going.

I don't recommend this book.

Karen Harding

Stone led us down the garden.

When Ernie Meyers dies, Michael and his family move into the old house and begin renovating. A lick of paint here, a dash of wallpaper paste there. Every character in this book begins set in stone, too fearful to breathe or move, and always on the lookout for a distraction from the truth of their lives. Michael’s baby sister is sick in the hospital. There is a strange man in a suit in the broken down garage, and he complains terribly of his bones being hardened to stone by Arthur Ritus. Everyone has Arthur. Even the little girl down the road is being hardened by the loss of her father, and the lack of friends.

As Michael visits with the strange man in the garage, the story and it’s characters begin to move, and life starts to grow all around them. Those who had given up hope by staying in their own heads for too long, start to take flight, and make plans for the future. They begin to breathe again. This is a story of fear and hope, confusion and knowledge, and the ultimate truth that a good meal with a friend, and a few cups of tea can get you through just about anything.

Skellig

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