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Some closing thoughts on David Almond
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From: Kathleen Horning <horning>
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2000 10:54:35 -0500
Ginny Moore Kruse and I have just returned from a week-long children's literature institute in Silver Bay, New York, sponsored by Children's Literature New England. We were both pleased to meet many members of the CCBC-Net community in person.
One of the highlights of the Institute was hearing Professor Tony Watkins, Director of the Centre for International Research in Childhood: Literature, Culture, Media, at the University of Reading, discuss David Almond's book "Skellig," and having the opportunity to discuss the book in small groups as well.
Tony interpreted "Skelling" in light of William Blake's "Songs of Innocence & Experience, pointing out some fascinating parallels between the two. He also handed out a sheet of clusters of images and themes in the book, which I think many of you will find interesting, in light of our earlier discussion. To give just a few examples:
(page numbers refer to U.K. Hodder paperback edition, 1998)
Death: Doctor Death; Ernie Myers; dirt; flies; spiders; garage which is pulled down; first view of Skellig; the parcel of dead birds; owls
Birds: blackbird; Falconer Road; Crow Road; owls; birds linked with children in Blake poem; baby being fed by blackbirds in one of Michael's dreams, then as a fledgling in the blackbird's nest in Michael's later dreams; baby when doing well is described as flying; description of baby's bones as like those of a bird; Skelling being fed by owls; owls accepted by Mina: "They're wild things, of course. Killers, savages. They're wonderful." (p. 48)
Evolution: in science lesson, teacher shows class a poster of our ancestors of "the endless shape-changing that led to us" (p. 31); Mina accepts as fact that we are descended from apes, but hopes, though,
"that we also have some rather more beautiful ancestoers." (p. 48); Goes on to argue "truth and dreams are always getting muddled." (p. 49) and accepts as "proven fact, common knowledge" that should blades are "where your wings were, and where they'll grow again" (p. 50). Mina says there's no end to evolution: is Skellig the next stage of evolution?
Thanks, again to all of you who participated in our lively discussion of David Almond's first two books. We can look forward to his third book, "Heaven Eyes" whcih will be published in the U.S. by Delcorte in April 2001.
Kathleen T. Horning (horning at education.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706 608&3930 FAX: 608&2I33
Received on Tue 01 Aug 2000 10:54:35 AM CDT
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2000 10:54:35 -0500
Ginny Moore Kruse and I have just returned from a week-long children's literature institute in Silver Bay, New York, sponsored by Children's Literature New England. We were both pleased to meet many members of the CCBC-Net community in person.
One of the highlights of the Institute was hearing Professor Tony Watkins, Director of the Centre for International Research in Childhood: Literature, Culture, Media, at the University of Reading, discuss David Almond's book "Skellig," and having the opportunity to discuss the book in small groups as well.
Tony interpreted "Skelling" in light of William Blake's "Songs of Innocence & Experience, pointing out some fascinating parallels between the two. He also handed out a sheet of clusters of images and themes in the book, which I think many of you will find interesting, in light of our earlier discussion. To give just a few examples:
(page numbers refer to U.K. Hodder paperback edition, 1998)
Death: Doctor Death; Ernie Myers; dirt; flies; spiders; garage which is pulled down; first view of Skellig; the parcel of dead birds; owls
Birds: blackbird; Falconer Road; Crow Road; owls; birds linked with children in Blake poem; baby being fed by blackbirds in one of Michael's dreams, then as a fledgling in the blackbird's nest in Michael's later dreams; baby when doing well is described as flying; description of baby's bones as like those of a bird; Skelling being fed by owls; owls accepted by Mina: "They're wild things, of course. Killers, savages. They're wonderful." (p. 48)
Evolution: in science lesson, teacher shows class a poster of our ancestors of "the endless shape-changing that led to us" (p. 31); Mina accepts as fact that we are descended from apes, but hopes, though,
"that we also have some rather more beautiful ancestoers." (p. 48); Goes on to argue "truth and dreams are always getting muddled." (p. 49) and accepts as "proven fact, common knowledge" that should blades are "where your wings were, and where they'll grow again" (p. 50). Mina says there's no end to evolution: is Skellig the next stage of evolution?
Thanks, again to all of you who participated in our lively discussion of David Almond's first two books. We can look forward to his third book, "Heaven Eyes" whcih will be published in the U.S. by Delcorte in April 2001.
Kathleen T. Horning (horning at education.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706 608&3930 FAX: 608&2I33
Received on Tue 01 Aug 2000 10:54:35 AM CDT
