Almond,
David. Half
a Creature From the Sea: A
Life in Stories. Candlewick Press 2015 222p $16.99 ISBN 978-0-7636-7877-7 ms/hs Short stories E-BN
British author David Almond takes childhood
memories, infuses elements of fantasy, and produces a captivating story collection. Each story begins
with the real events that inspired the story. Angels, poltergeists, sea people, bullying, and grief are some of
the themes of the stories. The cover
art is beautifully done, in color with a black-and-white illustrated
sheer overlay, and it inspires interest in the book even before one reads the summary. Eleanor Taylor’s black-and-white illustrations add emotional elements to the story. This collection is a
must-have
for any middle- or high-school collection. It would
also be useful in a writing class as a tool to demonstrate how to take personal
experiences and create works of fiction.
Summary: David Almond blends fantasy and realism in a collection of short
stories inspired by childhood events.
Friendship-Fiction, Fantasy-Fiction --Stephanie Pennucci
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