SO as part of my Fiction For Children Module for Creative Writing at Uni, I read this book 'The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas. I did not know what to expect, except a boy swimming with piranhas. This book is mostly aimed at young children, I would say from the age range of 8-12. I have to admit though I quite enjoyed this book despite being aimed at younger readers. I give it just under 4 stars, because I believe this book is really good at being what it is but because it's not ordinarily the type of book I would go for or enjoy as much.
So the book, the plot centers around a young boy called Stan Potts, his parents died when he was younger and he lives with his Aunt Annie and Uncle Ernie. Uncle Ernie, I would say is a bit 'potty', excuse the pun there. He was made redundant from his fishing career and the harbor was shut down. Many of the employees were left in a bit of a stump. But Uncle Ernie tried to turn his life around, whilst turning his house pretty much upside down. He created a fish canning factory inside his house creating fish such as Pott's Pilchards. There was only the 3 of them working there, so in the end, Stan dropped out of school and they all spend everyday and hour working at the machinery.
Now everything starts to change on Stan's birthday, Aunt Annie makes some rules so that Stan can go enjoy his birthday. He gets given ten pounds and goes to a fair that is on. There he has candyfloss and enjoys the carnival. However it is important to remember he has lived a very sheltered life so everything is new to him, it has been very long since he has even left his Aunt and Uncle's house. He gets his fortune read by Gypsy Rose who says she will be seeing him again and finds a Hook-A-Duck stall, where he feels sorry for the goldfish in bags so tries to get them all. He manages to and takes them home. Something occurs however which leaves Stan running away from home and joining the circus.
We see Stan go on a journey, meeting different people and changing throughout the story.
I thought this book was very well written, David Almond creates a loveable easy to read book that is very endearing. What compliments this book so well is the beautiful illustrations by Oliver Jeffers. Both Almond and Jeffers are well known more in terms of picture books so having these two create a more older book is very beautiful.
I loved the childish humour within and the relationships between the character. Now I would not say they were entirely 3D and you may see this review as to praising towards this book, but considering the target age and the aim of it, I have considered it is not necessarily aimed for people like me to read. This I have taken into account when raiting and reviewing.
Now to a few extracts I really enjoyed so warning may be SPOILERS...
But, reader, lets leave this trio for a moment in their caravan. Let's have something like our own dream. Lets rise through the caravan roof and over this strange field filled with sideshows and rides and peculiar practices and magical moments and fires and chops and spuds and scorpions and fish and tents...Lets travel through the night and move closer to that place. How can we do this? You may well ask. But it's easy, isn't it? All it takes is a few words put into sentences, and a bit of imagination. We could go anywhere with words and our imaginations. We could leave this story altogether, in fact, and find some other story in some other part of the world, and start telling that one. But no. Maybe later. It's best not to leave our story scattered into fragments...
Now I don't really know what happens, the tone of the book starts to change a little now. However, I loved some of the things David Almond wrote! All it takes is a few words put into sentences, and a bit of imagination. We could go anywhere with words and our imaginations I just loved the way the readers are addressed, reminding me here a little of Jane Eyre ~('Reader, I married him')~
Also considering the reader is likely to be a 8-12 year old (not saying it has to be)the book in a way is teaching children how to write their own stories whilst they are following one themselves and I found that a really nice way to portray writing as well. This style crops up more nearer the end as well, one part I thought was intriguing was :
(view spoiler)
Now a lot of people think this is a cop out, and maybe it is. But I thought this was a very intriguing device in the book. Allowing the readers to make up their own mind and allowing them to understand story making but also reality versus fiction. Then again breaking apart a child's fantasy quite young can be seen as abominable but there is many depending factors on whether doing this was a good choice. I mean it allows the children to be able to make decisions themselves, they are not talked down to, they are allowed to decide whether punishment is really suitable for this really pathetic more humourous villain.
I am not sure about it in the book, but I am not going to lie and say I hated it when I found the different style enjoyable. The last chapter follows at first a similar pattern and I found it really nice different way to writing.
One other thing I would like to comment on is something I noticed in someone else's review, they commented upon how the bad grammar of the DAFT team was not suitable for children who were trying to learn to write and read. I understand where that reviewer was coming from but I would also like to throw a point in about characterisation. Bad Grammar a characteristic of bad people perhaps? I don't know. I will leave you to think upon that like the author leaves us to think upon the ending of Clarence :)
I hope you enjoyed my review, I would recommend this book to the age range its suited to or for anyone who wants to look into writing children fiction or anyone who wants to feel enchanted by being a bit of a kid again :)
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