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Slog's Dad (2010)

by David Almond(Favorite Author)

3.62 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1406322903 (ISBN13: 9781406322903)

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Walker & Company

review 1: Before he died, Slog's dad promised his son that he would receive legs in heaven and walk back down to earth to visit him. When Slog tells his friend Davie that his dad has actually returned from heaven, though, Davie has a hard time believing it's true.This title is an illustrated book (not quite a graphic novel) appropriate for grades 4-8.This book, with it's high level of emotional honesty, would be good for a public library to provide for any child dealing with grief over the death of a loved one, or any child whose friend has recently lost somebody dear to them. It would also be good for any child interested in more abstract illustrations or has enjoyed the authors' previous work together, "Savage."A public library could use this for programming about different forms ... morestories can take, along with pure prose, poetry, and graphic novels. It could also be used for programming about dealing with grief or grief counseling in young children.
review 2: Alison for Big Book Little BookI have mixed feelings about this book. Visually it is superb, the style very similar to ‘The Savage’, another Almond and McKean collaboration and I book that I adored. I love that some pictures look almost photographic until you look at the faces. I love the mainly green undertones that make the other colours stand out all the more. For once I also like that the pictures stand alone, with the story they tell told in an almost storyboard fashion. It is through these pictures that you see Slog’s pain at the death of his Dad, his hopes and dreams that one day he will return. This is made all the more poignant by the fact that the actual story is told by Davie, Slog’s best friend. The story told in words, is slightly more detached, it’s the pictures that give you an emotional context to the book.It’s the story I have mixed feelings about. I think I understand the intention, but I found certain element quite creepy. This man looks nothing like Slog’s Dad and parts of Davie’s story seem to imply he is just indeed a random man. I think that the intention is just to show how someone can do something nice for a grieving small boy. That they can give them the comfort of knowing that there is something better out there. But I found the notion that someone could pretend in that way quite disturbing. This is a book set around 50 years ago however so maybe I placing my own more modern conception of mistrust unfairly in this case.This shouldn’t take away from the fact that this is a very moving story that speaks very eloquently of love and loss. less

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