Savage - Softcover

David Almond

3.75

1,445 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1406319856 ISBN 13: 9781406319859

Publisher: Walker Childrens Paperbacks, 2009

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A uniquely presented, touching tale of grief, solace and hope from a master of contemporary storytelling and a visionary artist. Imagine you wrote a story and that story came true. This is exactly what happens to Blue Baker when he writes about a savage living alone in the woods near his home. After his dad's death, Blue finds comfort in dreaming of a wild kid who survives on a diet of berries and the occasional hapless passer-by. But when the savage pays a night-time visit to the local bully, boundaries become blurred and Blue begins to wonder where he ends and the savage begins. Part novel, part graphic novel, this moving story features striking art from the award-winning Dave McKean.

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About the Author:

David Almond is the acclaimed author of Skellig, winner of the Whitbread Children's Award and the Carnegie Medal; Kit's Wilderness, winner of the Smarties Award Silver Medal, Highly Commended for the Carnegie Medal, and shortlisted for the Guardian Award; and The Fire-Eaters, winner of the Whitbread Award, the Smarties Gold Award and shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. He lives in Northumberland. Dave McKean's distinctive illustrations have graced several children's books including The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish and The Wolves in the Walls (New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year and shortlisted for the 2006 Kate Greenaway Medal) by Neil Gaiman. Dave also provided the unique covers for Neil Gaiman's World Fantasy Award-winning comic series The Sandman. He lives in Kent.

From Booklist:

A story-within-the-story that explores the means of handling grief forms the thrust of this compact book. After Blue Baker’s father dies, his school counselor tries to get him to write down and explore his feelings. “I did it for a while, but it just seemed stupid.” Instead, he secretly starts writing and drawing a story about a feral boy living alone in the woods. Blue’s story—which slashes into the narrative, the moody and ragged artwork a mirror for Blue’s inner turmoil—is interspersed with his struggle to cope with the loss of his father, run-ins with a bully, and difficulty reaching out to his mother and younger sister. The savage in his story is a violent, languageless creature who chases down, kills, and eats people who get too close. The line separating Blue and his imaginary savage becomes increasingly blurred, each bleeding into the other’s world, leading to an inevitable, though earned, catharsis. Avoiding sentiment, this illuminating book captures the staggering power of raw emotions on young minds, and demonstrates the ways expression can help transform and temper them. Grades 6-9. --Ian Chipman

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