SuitabookClay
David Almond
- Reading
- Try the opening together and check in as the story’s tone darkens. You could pause to talk about the difference between Stephen’s artistic skill and the choice to use it, then decide whether to continue.
- Themes
- Creation and responsibility: Stephen brings a small figure to life and persuades Davie to help create a life-sized one. The premise raises the question of responsibility for what one helps create, but the story’s judgement of Davie’s choice is not clear.
- Friendship and influence: Davie and Geordie are encouraged to befriend Stephen, but Stephen is described as seeing something special in Davie and persuades him to help. The premise sets up different influences on Davie, but does not establish whether the story presents Stephen’s influence as wholly harmful or beneficial.
- Worth knowing
- Horror and sinister supernatural elements are part of the premise. Stephen is described as unhappy, and the story turns darker; the degree of menace or any frightening scenes is not clear.