The Savage (novel) explained
The Savage is a 2008 graphic novel by David Almond. It is about a boy called Blue who, to cope with his father's death starts drawing and writing a comic book story about a wild boy living in the woods. .
Reception
In a School Library Journal review of the day, Elizabeth Bird wrote "By all logic, the melding of Dave McKean to David Almond should be a bad idea. .. Yet my encounter with The Savage came as a bit of a surprise to me. As feared it definitely has a slightly older readership, but the darkness of the images and the text work together in ways that actually reduce the scary factor rather than increase it.", and described McKean’s illustrations as "It’s Where the Wild Things Are, shot through with teeth and flesh."[1]
Booktrust found that "Almond’s revelations about child grief, as ever, are unsettling, as are McKean’s tortured illustrations, but as the book progresses we witness Blue achieving a degree of acceptance, and an unworldly resolution."[2] and Kirkus Reviews called it a "provocative outing."[3]
The Savage has also been reviewed by The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books,[4] Booklist,[5] Horn Book Magazine,[6] Michigan Reading Journal,[7] School Librarian,[8] Library Media Connection,[9] and Reading Time.[10]
Awards and nominations
- 2009 Kate Greenaway Medal - shortlist[12]
- 2009 American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults[13]
Adaptations
Almond has written a stage adaption of The Savage. It has been performed by the Live Theatre Company and has received favourable reviews.[14] [15] [16]
In 2009 The Savage was adapted for the stage by Jenifer Toksvig with music by Nicholas Sutton for the youth theatre at the Arcola Theatre, directed by Thomas Hescott.
External links
Library holdings of The Savage
Interview with Almond about the play
Notes and References
- Web site: 6 December 2008 . Review of the Day: The Savage by David Almond . blogs.slj.com . Media Source Inc. . 9 December 2016.
- Web site: The Savage . booktrust.org.uk . 9 December 2016.
- Web site: The Savage . 15 September 2008 . Kirkus Reviews . Kirkus Media LLC . 9 December 2016.
- 7 March 2009 . Almond, David. The Savage. . Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books . Johns Hopkins University Press . 62 . 7 . 275, 276 . 9 December 2016.
- September 2008 . The Savage . Booklist . American Library Association . 105 . 2 . 49 . 9 December 2016.
- September 2008 . The Savage . Horn Book Magazine . Media Source . 84 . 5 . 575 . 9 December 2016.
- The Savage . Michigan Reading Journal . Michigan Reading Association . 41 . 1 . 89 . 9 December 2016.
- September 2008 . The Savage . School Librarian . School Library Association . 56 . 3 . 159 . 9 December 2016.
- March 2009 . The Savage . Library Media Connection . ABC-CLIO . 27 . 5 . 79 . 9 December 2016.
- November 2008 . The Savage . Reading Time . Children's Book Council of Australia . 52 . 4 . 29 . 9 December 2016.
- Web site: 2008 Nominations Graphic Novels (Young Adult) . 18 October 2008 . cybils . 9 December 2016.
- Web site: 2009 Kate Greenaway Medal Winner & Shortlist . literaryawards.com.au . 9 December 2016.
- Web site: 2009 Best Books for Young Adults: Fiction . ala.org . 21 January 2009 . Young Adult Library Services Association . 9 December 2016.
- July 2016 . Theatre Review: The Savage . It is both an incredible story and a fantastic piece of theatre.. Living North . 9 December 2016.
- Theatre Review: The Savage @ Live Theatre . The Savage is a ritualistic celebration of all that is creative, come together in one distinctly Northern piece of theatre. . Chloe Allan . 13 July 2016 . Cuckoo Review. New Writing North . 9 December 2016.
- Web site: The Savage . Almond has always celebrated the power of the imagination to flower in the least likely of places and this belief .. runs through The Savage. That and a fierce sense of where the author belongs. Not a bad coupling.. Peter Mortimer . britishtheatreguide.info . 30 June 2016 . British Theatre Guide . 9 December 2016.
