Mrs Elliott's Recommended Read - May

My Name is Mina by David Almond

My Name Is Mina is a 2010 children's novel by David Almond. It is a prequel to Skellig (also a great book) 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 journal where we get to hear Mina’s thoughts and musings on life.  At school Nina is labelled as one of the ‘strange’ ones by both the children and the teachers.  She struggles to conform and questions everything for no other reason than genuinely wanting to understand.  She loves words and stories, but hates how school tells her how she should read and write.  She wants to fit in at the same time as wanting to be free.  She’s curious about what it would be like to have real friends but likes to spend lots of time sitting in a tree watching the world go by and keeping her distance.

I really enjoyed this book, but then I loved Skellig so I came at it with a positive mindset.  Mina is quirky but likeable.  If you like thoughtful texts that make you think about the world around you, then this is for you.  

Mrs Elliott
English Teacher

AR Book Level:
ZPD: AR Book 4.2 (Red)