Length: 208 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: April 28, 2009
Back Cover: David Almond’s Printz Honor–winning novel is a captivating modern classic.
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 spiderwebs 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. . . .
My review: This lovely, pitch-perfect book proves that middle grade fiction can be spare and simple, yet still shine.
Young Michael tries to cope with his infant sister's life threatening illness while living an ordinary boy's life. He plays soccer, visits with pals from school, and helps his father fixing up their new home and garden. Michael discovers a mysterious stranger with odd manners in the dilapidated shed behind his home. Is he a monster, angel, or something else?
Michael befriends Mina, who is home schooled and has a penchant for William Blake's poetry and an obsession with flying creatures. They embark upon a quiet journey and a moving friendship. Together, they attempt to piece together the enigma of the man in the shed. The beauty of this quiet story lies in the friendship between Mina and Michael, and the author's insistence on leaving some things unanswered.
I wish more books for this age group were so lyrical and calm. David Almond's book is a master work in restraint. I particularly like Michael's interactions with Mina and her mother. This friendship seems so true, and although I wish I could know more of these characters, the story is a perfect length and I was so satisfied with the resolution.
This is a Printz Honor selection. Almond addresses weighty issues like life, death, and the inevitable unknowable in between on a level that is just right for this age group. I am so impressed with Almond's grasp of the complexities of Michael and Mina's world. He truly understands that although the world of a child is, on some level, simple-they are far from simplistic creatures. Instead, children have a rich inner emotional life and high levels of creativity, sensitivity, and wonder inside them. This book shows such respect for the characters and audience, and I would highly recommend this to any middle grade reader.
Rating: 4 1/2 Stars
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