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bardicbramley's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Minor: Alcohol and Child abuse
mat_tobin's review against another edition
4.0
Sully lives in a small village where very little goes on; something that I suspect many teenagers bemoan. For 15-year-old Sully, the world is gradually changing too. His best friend, Mish is working hard at school now because she wants to leave for University and his other friends are a little tired of Sully's arrogant attitude. For there's something he's the best at in the village and that's climbing the trees in the park: the only thing that entertains the locals. So when another boy with a scarred face turns up going under the name Nottingham and claims he's a better climber, Sully's world is uprooted a little more.
This short story is more than teenage rivalry. There's a clever message here about the foundations of our identity, the complexity of trying to fit in and find a space in a very small world and make a name for yourself. That sense of looking in rather than looking out is powerful here as the trees as a symbol of power, respect and a chance to escape is well done. A fine YA book with plenty to discuss.
This short story is more than teenage rivalry. There's a clever message here about the foundations of our identity, the complexity of trying to fit in and find a space in a very small world and make a name for yourself. That sense of looking in rather than looking out is powerful here as the trees as a symbol of power, respect and a chance to escape is well done. A fine YA book with plenty to discuss.
ruthie_the_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
Read & reviewed for The Bookbag
http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/The_Climbers_by_Keith_Gray
http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/The_Climbers_by_Keith_Gray
salreads's review against another edition
5.0
The Climbers is my second five star read this month - both have been children’s books. This is the story of Sully, Mish and Nottingham - what epic names! They live in a village, go to school, struggle with homework, ride bikes and climb trees. Sully is the best climber in the village ..that is until Nottingham arrives and he finds everything that he has counted on starts to disappear…And there’s a race..
Such a short book but such a big story. This is about friendship, rivalry, determination, kindness, self-worth, love and family. It is the kind of story that just spreads and spreads itself out like the roots of a tree as your imagination searches out the pieces the book can only intimate… I felt I had really come to know Sully, with his annoying older brother, his loving hard-working Mother, his sense of self value which rests on his reputation as a climber. Mish, a loyal friend, who everyone thinks is academically behind but actually is way ahead..I keep thinking about Nottingham and wondering what his story might be both before and after The Climbers..This tapped into so much of my inner child and those wobbly days when you are discovering yourself.I have found myself seeking out trees and wondering which ones would be the easiest to climb…
Such a short book but such a big story. This is about friendship, rivalry, determination, kindness, self-worth, love and family. It is the kind of story that just spreads and spreads itself out like the roots of a tree as your imagination searches out the pieces the book can only intimate… I felt I had really come to know Sully, with his annoying older brother, his loving hard-working Mother, his sense of self value which rests on his reputation as a climber. Mish, a loyal friend, who everyone thinks is academically behind but actually is way ahead..I keep thinking about Nottingham and wondering what his story might be both before and after The Climbers..This tapped into so much of my inner child and those wobbly days when you are discovering yourself.I have found myself seeking out trees and wondering which ones would be the easiest to climb…
ellenannmary's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5 stars. Book 5/18 on my Carnegie Long list Mission, though the first one I’ve read with this in mind.
Barrington Stokes are always interesting beasts. Writing such short form fiction is clearly a challenge for many writers, which seems to often have mixed results. The difficulty with their Teen offerings in particular is finding ways to reflect the emotional and intellectual maturity of teenagers whilst juggling this with the need to keep the language accessible and story brief.
The Climbers is definitely one of the more successful offerings in this collection. Whilst perhaps for younger teens, this perfectly captures the adventure and excitement of having something exciting and dangerous to share without adult supervision. What Gray does particularly well with this story is the subtlety with which he conveys just how dangerous the tree climbing is without having to write it in explicitly. I genuinely felt a bit spinny towards the end there.
The only real drawback is the slightly goofy dialogue - I know that reflecting actual teen dialogue is tough but woof, this felt silly. Things like this can make a book feel like it’s a children’s book for adults to enjoy and approve of, rather than a book for teens to seek out and enjoy on their own terms.
In terms of the Carnegie, I don’t quite see this going the distance, but it could shortlist.
Barrington Stokes are always interesting beasts. Writing such short form fiction is clearly a challenge for many writers, which seems to often have mixed results. The difficulty with their Teen offerings in particular is finding ways to reflect the emotional and intellectual maturity of teenagers whilst juggling this with the need to keep the language accessible and story brief.
The Climbers is definitely one of the more successful offerings in this collection. Whilst perhaps for younger teens, this perfectly captures the adventure and excitement of having something exciting and dangerous to share without adult supervision. What Gray does particularly well with this story is the subtlety with which he conveys just how dangerous the tree climbing is without having to write it in explicitly. I genuinely felt a bit spinny towards the end there.
The only real drawback is the slightly goofy dialogue - I know that reflecting actual teen dialogue is tough but woof, this felt silly. Things like this can make a book feel like it’s a children’s book for adults to enjoy and approve of, rather than a book for teens to seek out and enjoy on their own terms.
In terms of the Carnegie, I don’t quite see this going the distance, but it could shortlist.