This story kept me guessing all the way through. The author gave you just enough information for you to paint a picture in your head but let you make your own assumptions about just what was going on.
Landfill is a feral child living in Hinterland, which I imagined to be a walled off area of a city, with an older man named Babagoo. There is all sorts of discussion which could be had around the relationship between these two characters and what they are doing in Hinterland. Is Babagoo a caring adult or a manipulative bully? Why is Landfill there with him in Hinterland? Why is Babagoo so terrified to tell Landfill anything about the Outside?
Alongside these two main characters, there is a fascinating cast of animals, all named by Babagoo for famous writers. How did they get into Hinterland? Why are they named after writers?
The questions just keep on coming... for the reader, and also for Landfill as he starts to realise there is more to life than Hinterland, and he starts to look beyond the walls, much to Babagoo's horror and anger. Landfill is torn between loyalty to his protector and wanting to know more. Even the last scene in the story keeps the reader hanging as they see Landfill make a choice about where his future might lie.
This would make a fabulous readaloud for our older students as there is much scope for discussion around relationships, the environment, what is right and wrong...
Landfill is a feral child living in Hinterland, which I imagined to be a walled off area of a city, with an older man named Babagoo. There is all sorts of discussion which could be had around the relationship between these two characters and what they are doing in Hinterland. Is Babagoo a caring adult or a manipulative bully? Why is Landfill there with him in Hinterland? Why is Babagoo so terrified to tell Landfill anything about the Outside?
Alongside these two main characters, there is a fascinating cast of animals, all named by Babagoo for famous writers. How did they get into Hinterland? Why are they named after writers?
The questions just keep on coming... for the reader, and also for Landfill as he starts to realise there is more to life than Hinterland, and he starts to look beyond the walls, much to Babagoo's horror and anger. Landfill is torn between loyalty to his protector and wanting to know more.
Even the last scene in the story keeps the reader hanging as they see Landfill make a choice about where his future might lie.
This would make a fabulous readaloud for our older students as there is much scope for discussion around relationships, the environment, what is right and wrong...