Almond, David. Skellig. New York: Yearling, 2000.Annotation: Michael moves into a new house and finds something he can't explain in the Garage, and a strange but beautiful friendship emerges as Michael's newborn sister fights for her life. In the end, with the help of the girl next door Mina, he learns that a crucial part of life is accepting the things that can't be understood.
Nomination Justification: David Almond's Skellig is a work of such delicate imagination that quietly demands a nomination. The novel bravely avoids explaining the central mystery, instead leaving the reader to indulge in the nearly etherial hidden message of learning to appreciate the parts of life that defy reason.
The story is told from Michael's first-person perspectivem and successfully captures the conflict inherent when attempting to rationalize the adult world of while still still being pulled to more youthful concerns. Michael's character is a strong but flawed protagonist that is sure to resonate with a wide variety of readers. His best friend, Mina, is such an intricately crafted individual that young girls are sure to find a companion with her.
Fittingly, Michaels parents a preoccupied with the fragile health of their daughter, leaving their son to find his own solutions and meaning. The conflict of a life-threatened newborn is just one example of how the novel pulls no punches when it comes to subject matter. Michael is growing up fast and the world is depicted honestly and compassionately.
The character of Skellig is a single piece in a large puzzle of metaphors and symbols that all fit together to create a magically heightened reality that asked a lot of the reader to create their own meaning, just as Michael must. Almond's skill as a writer is evident in every interconnected plot point and development forming a uniquely affecting work of fiction.
Genre: Printz, Mystery, Supernatural
