The Boy Who Climbed Into The Moon by David Almond
| The Boy Who Climbed Into The Moon by David Almond | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Keith Dudhnath
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| Summary: It's the new David Almond for young readers. Do you really need to know any more? With daftness and heart by the bucketload, it's a must read. Highly recommended. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 128 | Date: May 2010 |
| Publisher: Walker Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1406314571 | |
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Paul lives in the basement of a large tower block. He's feeling lonely and out of sorts, so he feigns a headache and stomach ache and has a day off school. Spending his day wisely, he gets to know the eccentric people who inhabit the building, as well as embracing his own eccentric idea that the moon is actually a hole in the sky.
We're mahousive David Almond fanboys and fangirls here at Bookbag. We love everything he's written, and were clamouring to see who'd get to review his latest book. I fought dirtier than the others (yes, even Jill) and so here I am. And what a treat it is. It's just superb. Utterly utterly superb. It relishes in the magic of eccentricity, it takes a wide-eyed idea and runs with it. It has the typical Almond trait of ordinary life made extraordinary. As a book for younger readers, rather than teens, it has a gentler air to it than much of his other work, but none of the quality is missing.
Sausages are better than war says Paul, and he's right. There's daftness and there's a point. Every word out of Molly's mouth is nonsense. Her brother Benjamin wears an artichoke sack on his head and largely eschews consonants. It's all wonderfully silly, but all brimming with heart and adventure and enchantment. It's a book to lose yourself in, to go along for the ride, to absorb the mood, but not worry too much about what it means. Just enjoy it.
You know it's beautifully written. You know the language is perfectly crafted, clear and direct, but with a lyrical quality. It's everything you'd expect. Polly Dunbar's illustrations are excellent too - they're woven throughout the text and help set the atmosphere, but never get in the way of your own imagination and flights of fancy. It's surreal, it's silly, it's wonderful. You'll love it. Highly recommended.
My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.
For more daftness, look no further than Sensible Hare and the Case of Carrots by Daren King. Mr Gum and the Cherry Tree by Andy Stanton is also well worth a look. Oh, and if you've not read Fup by Jim Dodge, you simply must.
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You can read more book reviews or buy The Boy Who Climbed Into The Moon by David Almond at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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