Saturday, March 12, 2016

Almond, David. Half a Creature From the Sea: A Life in Stories.

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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