We’ve got some suggestions, and we’d love to hear yours too…
Skellig: what to read next
David Almond’s Skellig is a modern classic. Read in many schools, and re-imagined as a play, an opera and a film, it’s been loved by generations of children for over two decades. David Almond has written many other extraordinary books, too, such as My Name is Mina, Bone Music and The Fire-Eaters. But once you’ve also read those, what is there to read next?
Skellig and books
Worries about family
Michael’s little sister is very ill in Skellig, and reading about his worries may help children who are going through a similar situation. In The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow, Nate’s brother falls dangerously ill, too, while Nate navigates Year 6. A heart-warming story written in verse, with stunning illustrations. A wider worry about family is found in The Rollercoaster Boy by Lisa Thompson, where Todd’s dad’s unpredictable behaviour causes Todd much anxiety. There is much humour in this story, too, it’s important to note.
Bonding over a secret
In Skellig, Michael moves house and forges connections with new friends at school, but also with Mina, his neighbour, and with Skellig, the strange creature in his garage. Hiding a secret together is a great connector, and in the funny and moving Secrets of a Rebel Rock Star by Nat Amoore, Nate and his new friend Flynn secretly write a musical together. And in Wales in 1939, two brothers find a mysterious skull in a tree, and try to unravel its secrets. The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr is a thrilling adventure with an excellent mystery at its heart.
Magic in the everyday world
One intriguing element of Skellig is the other-worldly nature of Skellig himself. Finding something or someone magical in the everyday world is often the basis for a wonderful story. For instance, Asha and the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan, where Asha travels across northern India to find her father, with her grandmother’s spirit in the form of a bird guiding her. Can she avoid the many perils along the way? The Storm Swimmer by Clare Weze is set in the UK, and Ginika meets an unusual boy who lives in the sea, whom she must keep a secret. But when she needs to help him, who can she trust? The protagonists of both novels are grappling with wider social issues, which are explored in a sensitive manner. Finally, The Last Dragon by Polly Ho-Yen is set in a contemporary Milton Keynes, except that there’s a dragon there too! As with Michael and Skellig, the magical or otherworldly element here may hold the key to helping an ill sibling. Thrilling and magical.
Join in!
Those are some of our ideas – but what about you? Let us know by messaging us on social media @BookTrust