 First edition | |
| Author | David Almond |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Polly Dunbar |
| Country | England |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's fiction |
| Published | 2007 (Walker Books) |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 117 |
| ISBN | 9781406304862 |
| OCLC | 156891239 |
My Dad's a Birdman is a 2007 children's illustrated novel by David Almond. It is about a girl, Lizzie, who finds herself looking after her dad, Jackie, after the death of her mother, and his dreams of competing in "The Great Human Bird Competition".
A Booktrust review of My Dad's a Birdman wrote "This charmingly illustrated, funny, fast-paced, seemingly simple story, is also beautifully tender and profound." [1] and Kirkus Reviews wrote "The characters sport silly names like Doreen Doody and Mr. Poop, and Dunbar’s colored illustrations, which appear on nearly every spread, evoke Quentin Blake. Readers will definitely come away with mixed feelings—not necessarily a bad thing, to be sure." [2]
Booklist concluded its review with "As always, however, Almond writes beautifully, and though particular moments may give pause, this novel is a tribute to the human spirit." [3] and the School Library Journal wrote "A distinguished author's use of birds and human flight as metaphors for love's transcendence over grief and death takes a new form in this comic piece of magical realism." and concluded "A fine read-aloud." [3] the Horn Book wrote " Almond flies where make-believe and madness converge, where imagination tends toward delusion, offering a stylized treatment of grief that expresses sorrow obliquely. The energy and color of his language -- "the blithering boops. The nits, the ninnies, the nincompoopy noodleheads!"—and the surrealism of his imagery give this strange little tale a haunting brilliance." [3]
My Dad's a Birdman has also been reviewed by Reading Time , [4] Library Media Connection magazine, [5] and The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books . [6]
In 2010/2011 a play based on the book was performed at the Young Vic theatre featuring original music by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. [7] Two of the songs are featured as demo versions on the Pet Shop Boys album Yes: Further Listening 2008-2010. [8]
David Almond is a British author who has written many novels for children and young adults from 1998, each one receiving critical acclaim.
Sally Gardner is a British children writer and illustrator. She won both the Costa Children's Book Award and the Carnegie Medal for Maggot Moon. Under her pseudonym Wray Delaney she has also written adult novels.
Polly Dunbar is an English author-illustrator.
Yes is the tenth studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 18 March 2009 by Parlophone. The album was recorded throughout 2008 and was produced by Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania. Xenomania also co-wrote three of the tracks. Guitarist Johnny Marr and string arranger Owen Pallett appear as well. "Love Etc." was released on 16 March 2009 as the album's lead single.
Kate, the Cat and the Moon is a 2004 Children's picture book by David Almond. It is about a girl, Kate, and her nighttime adventures with a feline companion when she transforms into a cat.
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..
Slog's Dad is a 2006 short story by David Almond and is about a boy called Slog who, sees a man he believes is his father returned from death to visit him. It was originally published in a collection of short stories and subsequently released, in 2010, as a stand-alone graphic novel illustrated by Dave McKean.
Counting Stars is a 2000 anthology by David Almond. It is a collection of eighteen semi-autobiographical stories from Almond's childhood in North East England.
The Boy Who Climbed Into the Moon is a 2010 children's novel by David Almond, illustrated by Polly Dunbar. It is about a boy, Paul, who wants to touch the sky; he climbs a ladder to the Moon and goes inside.
The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean telt by hisself is a 2011 story by David Almond. It was released simultaneously in young adult (Puffin) and adult editions (Penguin), and was Almond's first adult novel. It is about a boy, Paul, who is imprisoned by his parents until the age of thirteen and on his freedom is treated as a messiah.
My Name Is Mina is a 2010 children's novel by David Almond. It is a prequel to Skellig and is about Mina, a homeschooled girl who lives across the road from the house that Michael's family moves into at the beginning of Skellig. The novel takes the form of a stream of consciousness journal. It is written in a way that shows us Mina's opinions.
Jackdaw Summer is a 2008 book by David Almond. It is about two boys, Liam and Max, who, on following a jackdaw, find an abandoned baby.
The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas is a 2012 book by David Almond. It is about a boy, Stanley, who runs away from home and joins the circus.
Mouse Bird Snake Wolf is a 2013 graphic novel, written by David Almond and illustrated by David McKean. It is about three children who create animals from inanimate objects.
A Song for Ella Grey is a 2014 young adult novel, written by David Almond and illustrated by Karen Radford. It is based on the legend, Orpheus and Eurydice.
The Tightrope Walkers is a 2014 novel written by David Almond and is Almond's second adult novel. It is about Dominic Hall growing up in 1960s North East England. A young adult version was released in America in 2015.
The Children of the King is a 2012 children's novel by Sonya Hartnett. It is about the adventures of a mother and her two children who have been evacuated from London to the country side during World War II.
Lulu Gets a Cat is a 2017 Children's picture book by Anna McQuinn and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw. It is about a little girl called Lulu who wants a cat, shows her initially reluctant mother that she is ready by reading about cats at the library and treating her toy cat Dinah as if it is real, and then adopts a cat who she calls Makeda.
Matilda's Cat is a 2012 Children's picture book by Emily Gravett. It is about Matilda, a girl dressed in a ginger-striped cat costume, who attempts to involve her similarly ginger-striped cat in various activities to no avail but then eventually snuggles up with the cat in bed.
My Pet Human is a 2015 Children's book written and illustrated by Yasmine Surovec. It concerns a black and white stray cat that likes his independence but is eventually persuaded through the regular provision of food and comfort that having a little girl and her family to look after him may not be such a bad thing.
