Join Michael and Mina as they discover a mysterious creature in a dilapidated old garage.

Do you know of a basement, attic or garage that’s a bit spooky? Perhaps its dark, smelly and mysterious? Even though it is spooky, do you find yourself mysteriously drawn to it? Michael has this experience when his family moves across town into a new fixer-upper. While the adults in his life are distracted with his baby sister’s flailing health and home remodeling projects, he discovers a mysterious creature in his garage. He is unsure who or what the creature is. “I found him in the garage on a Sunday afternoon….I though he was dead. I couldn’t have been more wrong.” (p. 1). Michael meets Mina, an exceptionally gifted girl who is home schooled. Together, they begin to interact with Skellig and unravel the mystery of his identity. Who or what is Skellig?

The mystery of Skellig is intertwined with the story of Michael coping with his baby sister’s health issues and his coming of age. The title has an underlying theme of evolution and the struggle for survival. The concept of angels is presented from an evolutionary rather than religious viewpoint. This page-turner is written in short, easy to read chapters, making it accessible to reluctant readers, especially those ready for mature content. At the same time, new vocabulary words are introduced to even the most advance readers. The biggest potential obstacle to generate interest in the title is the uninspired cover art and meaningless title. Once the book is opened, the intense plot and rapid pace entice the reader to keep reading. This title would be well-paired with an instructional session on evolution or dinosaurs. After reading this book, tweens will be interested to view Archaepteryx fossils, “The dinosaur that flew” (p. 98). Grades 5-8

Almond, David. (1998). Skellig. New York:  Delacorte Press.
ISBN: 038532653X
Cover art link from ALISCat - a catalog of public libraries in Nassau County, NY.