SuitabookThe Falling Boy
David Almond
- Reading
- If the premise feels appealing but potentially unsettling, read the opening together and pause after the first references to the chapel, warnings or family illness. Let the child set the pace for continuing.
- Themes
- Family change and illness: Joff’s father is ill, his mother is working, and his summer feels transformed. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Curiosity and boundaries: Joff explores with Jet but is told not to explore the Chapel of Doom; warning signs mark the boundary. The premise sets curiosity against a prohibition, without establishing whether crossing the boundary is endorsed, criticised or simply narratively explored.
- Fear, hope and the magical: The story is described as involving friendship, hope, conquering fears and an unexpected magical discovery. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Consider whether your child would welcome a story involving an ill father, a working mother, warning signs, a crumbling chapel, fear and a possibly magical discovery. The ending and intensity of these elements remain unclear.