A delightful children's book that trods along enjoyably and by the end had me more emotionally invested than I anticipated.
Neil's writing is deceptively simple. I would describe it as out-of-the-way such that Neil can expertly take us along for the story.
Would definitely read this to a child. I think I'd have loved it when I was little. And there remain many touching themes for adults in this book. Even now, Bod's nurtured excitement for all adventures he will be going on when he's grown up resonates with me. I imagine we will always be longing to see the world and meet her people. It feels joyful to believe in the adventurous nature of life and I would never want to lose that out of sight. Maybe this is why I enjoy children's books still so much from time to time. Are adults too disenchanted to desire these joyful adventures and dreams without reservations any longer?