It’s the summer before Joff Johnson starts secondary school. His dad’s receiving treatment for cancer and the weather is scorching. Restless and searching for something, Joff battles his feelings and finds ways to express himself through friendships old and new.

Joff and his friends can’t ignore the lure of the Chapel of Doom just like generations of other kids before them. The chapel walls form a palimpsest, a testament to all of the kids who’d ignored the ‘Keep Out’ signs and dared to be there before.

Inspired and encouraged to explore, Joff retreads familiar ground and pushes himself further, able to explore his feelings through memories intrinsically linked to the landscape. He starts to write as catharsis and self-expression.

I adored this book. It spoke to my soul!
I loved the connection between people and place; the affectionate tribute to community & the power of the arts to find and strengthen connections. Full of magical realism/ spiritualism as seen in Almond’s other work- imagination, wonder and reality blur to make anything seem possible.

Interestingly written in classic style.
Felt a bit slow paced and lacking in energy although I enjoyed the storyline.

David Almond is a master of magic in the real world; of grief and joy and strength mixed together, of transition and friendship.

I’m not quite sure what it is about David Almonds work which moves me to tears. But here I am again wiping them away.
The falling boy is beautiful and moving. It has echoes of Skellig of course - a boy dealing with something and a strange and unusual new girl who helps him see things through a different lens.
As a (grown up) child whose father is dealing with the same sort of cancer some of the conversations between Joff and his parents took my breath away. Almond writes so tenderly.
I loved the way that the children came together and created beauty. This book is joyful and wonderful.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the privilege to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Falling Boy
By David Almond
Published by Hachette Children's Group

Who is the Falling Boy?
Is he in your mind?
Or is he an angel or a ghost from the past?
From the bestselling, award-winning author of Skellig comes a heartfelt story of pure humankind.

As soon as Joff finds out his dad is ill, nothing is the same.
The summer holidays aren’t the same.
The mountains aren’t the same.
His hometown isn’t the same.
Joff tries to keep things the same - seeing his mates, walking his dog, but his fear, sadness and the uncertainties of illness follow him around. He can't wait to escape every day and so goes exploring with his dog Jet.

But above the town, sits the Chapel of Doom, an ancient and crumbling church, with warning signs and the legend of the Falling Boy that everyone knows about.
Then when Joff's adventures and his strength take him beyond the warning boundaries he discovers something very unexpected and something magical.

An intense story about hope, friendship and compassion. Author David Almond captures the young fears of the son and the more mature fears of the father beautifully. Learning to recognise and then conquer your fears is written with both skill and experience.

An excellent choice for year 5/6 children, class reads and beyond.

Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.
#Netgalley

Excellent book that I thoroughly enjoyed. As always, the author deals with difficult issues/challenges children can encounter while growing up and I'm sure helps certain readers realise they are not alone and gives them some comfort.
The book deals with the difficulties of being a teenager including bullying and the potential awkwardness of boy/girl friendships at that age. It also deals with the difficult issue of a parent having cancer and the worry, anxiety and fear that causes for their children. Additionally it demonstrates how having a pet can really help in these situations because the loving relationship between the main character Joff and his dog Jet clearly helps to keep him going during this difficult time.
I really felt for the main character Joff and liked the way the relationship developed between him and the new girl in town, Dawn. Well worth a read!

David Almond doing David Almond, as perfectly as ever. Deceptively simple prose and story-telling in a multi-layered, beautifully rendered coming of age story for middle-graders. Other-worldly magic rooted in the everyday. Unmissable.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an advance e-copy of this title.

Wonderful prose and storytelling launches the reader into a multi layered story about one boy's journey, the importance of family and community. Heartfelt and beautifully told.

Falling Boy is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling and precise prose.

David Almond doing what he does best, tackling deeply emotional subject matter in a beautifully poignant, hopeful way, the corporeal and spiritual blended within the minutiae of everyday family life.

Another thought provoking tear-jerker from David Almond. Imagine life as you know it falling apart and you feeling like there is no-one there to help. That's how Joff feels. Then he meets Dawn. She takes him on a journey where he feels able to talk and deal with what's going on. On the way, they discover the power of unity and how communities can come together to support each other, even without realising it. A stunning book that everyone should read.

Wonderfully descriptive and powerful writing creates a coming-of-age tale that is emotional, tense, multi-layered, and full of fear and hope and the importance of friendship. Maybe not a blockbuster for a general readership but excellent for guided reading or as a challenging read to promote.

Joff Johnson is at a turning point in his life- the transition from primary to secondary school and the summer awaits. However, Joff's dad has cancer and Joff is struggling to make sense of the world around him.

David Almond has created a beautifully moving tale about love, friendship and finding your place in a time when all feels hopelessly confusing.
Joff finds solace like many his community in the local Dene and town but there is one place children are told not to visit -an abandoned place of worship known as the Chapel of Doom which is associated with the legend of The Falling Boy - a child who fell to his detain the church.

As he escapes the pressure and fears of home, he ventures out on journeys with his dog, Jet. Inspired by the book The Travels of Marco Polo, Joff kept his own journal .

It is on his 'travels' Joff encounters Dawn Chorus- a young girl who has an other worldly /ethereal aura about her- a friendship begins that leads to Joff's heightened senses and awareness of the world about him. Celebrating life, the acceptance of difference and the creation of beauty takes Joff to new pathways of seeing his world- elation, anger and happiness leading to an incredibly moving ending with the children of the community coming together. Dawn's story could be a future book- she is a fascinating character.

David Almond's writing is powerful and tender- the scenes where Joff and his parents talk about his father's cancer and treatment are very moving and Joff's emotions are palpable- but this is not a book about sadness but joy. This is a story that os for 10-14 year olds but also could be enjoyed by adults as its content should make us all reflect upon what is important- love and friendship.