Heaven Eyes by David Almond

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
Award-winning author David Almond does not disappoint eager audiences with this tale of family, survival, and the thin line between reality and dreams.

In the dreary orphanage of Whitegates, three friends long for freedom and purpose. Sadly labeled as damaged goods, these kids hold their memories close to their hearts and ignore the tired and world-weary gazes of Maureen, who runs the orphanage. Erin and her friend January run away on occasion, but they are usually caught within a couple of days or return due to lack of money and a place to sleep. Their latest journey, however, is unlike any other. They plan to make a raft and escape down the river. After Mouse, a small, shy boy whose name reflects the pint-size pet he carries in his pocket, begs to be included on their voyage, the three are off to the river. When they end up not far from Whitegates but in a seemingly different world on the muddy bank of Black Middens, they meet an unusual girl with webbed hands and an unavoidable stare. She calls herself Heaven's Eyes, and her primitive language and ethereal beauty intrigue the trio. Living in abandoned offices under the care of an old man she calls Grandpa, Heaven's Eyes soon reveals details of the life she leads. Then Erin and her friends also unearth the real truth of Heaven's past.

Almond ties this moving and surreal story together with the overwhelming desire to love, have family and enjoy freedom. Dreams and reality coincide, and Erin speaks to the reader in a way that reinforces the truthfulness of what she says. The real magic lies in Almond's fantastic ability to relate a story of wonder and sorrow to young readers with grace and strength. The details of an enlightening mystery need not be filled with facts and answers. For many, the excitement and life lessons are found within the journey. (Amy Barkat)

From the Publisher

Erin Law and her friends are Damaged Children. At least that is the label given to them by Maureen, the woman who runs the orphanage that they live in. Damaged, Beyond Repair because they have no parents to take care of them. But Erin knows that if they care for each other they can put up with the psychologists, the social workers, the therapists -- at least most of the time. Sometimes there is nothing left but to run away, to run for freedom. And that is what Erin and two friends do, run away one night downriver on a raft. What they find on their journey is stranger than you can imagine, maybe, and you might not think it's true. But Erin will tell you it is all true. And the proof is a girl named Heaven Eyes, who sees through all the darkness in the world to the joy that lies beneath.

From the Hardcover edition.

csmonitor.com - Enicia Fisher

As a storyteller's fire captures its audience, David Almond's latest novel draws the reader through darkness into irresistible light. Heaven Eyes, the third novel for young people by this highly acclaimed author, offers what Almond fans anticipate: a wonderful mixture of mystery, fantasy, dreams, and reality.

Publishers Weekly

Three orphan children residing at Whitegate set out on an adventure-cum-rescue mission and discover a ghostlike girl with webbed hands. "The tantalizing settings and poetic narrative have a lingering effect, much like a prophetic dream," said PW in a starred review. Ages 10-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Readers spellbound by the intriguing characters and surrealistic flavor of Almond's previous works will be eager to dive into the murky waters of this third novel, set in a riverside orphanage. Erin Law, one of the "damaged" orphan children residing at Whitegates, eloquently recounts her earliest happy memories of her mother and the way the woman's voice and touch have remained with her. One day, Erin sets out on a remarkable adventure-cum-rescue mission, with fellow orphan friends January and Mouse on a homemade raft. ("Some people will tell you that none of these things happened. They'll say they were just a dream that the three of us shared.") Their vessel gets stuck in the mire on the Black Middens, a muddy sinkhole of a place every bit as haunting and surreal as the hideout in Skellig or the abandoned mines of Kit's Wilderness. The children discover two strangers who live alongside the Middens in a dilapidated settlement: Heaven Eyes, a ghostlike girl with webbed hands (so named because "her lovely eyes... saw through all the trouble in the world to the heaven that lies beneath"), and "Grampa," her ancient caretaker. Here the children slowly unravel mysteries about the crumbling town, its muddy banks holding many treasures and the tragic history of Heaven Eyes. Possessing a rare understanding of human frailties, impulses, desires and fears, the author boldly explores the gray area between reality and imagination, and the need to construct one's own legends in order to survive. His tantalizing settings and poetic narrative have a lingering effect, much like a prophetic dream. Ages 9-12. (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

KLIATT

Erin, January, and Mouse all live together in a British orphanage. Seeking freedom, the three take off on a raft down the nearby river, and wind up stuck in the mud of the Black Middens. There they encounter a strange, pale girl with webbed hands and feet and the eccentric old man she calls Grampa, who looks after her. Grampa explains that the child is called Heaven Eyes "cos she does see through all the grief and trouble in the world to the heaven that does lie beneath," and hints at secrets in her past, but won't discuss them. This odd couple takes the three runaways back to the abandoned printing works where they live. There Heaven Eyes wins the heart of Erin, calling her "my long-lost sister"; little Mouse helps Grampa hunt for treasure in the mud, and finds a body; and January discovers where Heaven Eyes came from. When Grampa suddenly dies, the three explorers return with Heaven Eyes to the orphanage, understanding more about the meaning of love, family, and hidden treasures. Erin tells the story, and at the end she says, "The most astounding things can lie waiting as each day dawns, as each page turns." This statement is true of all Almond's novels: his previous books, the acclaimed YA novels Skellig and Kit's Wilderness, also incorporate elements of surrealism and fantasy as well as exploring the power of family bonds, whether by birth or by choice, as is the case here. His writing is lyrical and dreamlike and casts a spell over the reader, just as Heaven Eyes and her odd and endearing manner of expressing herself cast a spell over Erin. Almond's voice is unique and poetic, not for every reader, but many imaginative YAs will treasure his writing. Heaven Eyes is a lovely andhaunting book, with original characters that will linger in readers' minds. KLIATT Codes: J*—Exceptional book, recommended for junior high school students. 2001, Random House/Delacorte, 240p, $15.95. Ages 13 to 15. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick; March 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 2)

Children's Literature

They lived at Whitegates, these damaged children. Orphans they were, and they ran away on a regular basis, always returning because they were hungry and cold. But when January Carr tells Erin he has built a raft, Erin knows this escape will be different. It was supposed to be just the two of them but timid Mouse Gullane insists on going, too. But the raft becomes mired in the mud of the Black Middens, and they are met by a girl with webbed fingers and a peculiar way of talking. She is called Heaven Eyes by Grampa who rescued her, and they live in an abandoned printing works. Heaven Eyes can "see through all the grief and trouble in the world to the heaven that does lie beneath," says Grampa. His concern with protecting Heaven Eyes is extreme, which makes January very uneasy. When Mouse becomes Grampa's Little Helper and discovers a body in the mud, January immediately concludes that Grampa has murdered someone. Grampa says they have discovered a saint. The events that follow change these children and just might make a believer out of anyone reading this book. Almond mingles reality and fantasy in a most believable way. His setting is vivid and the characters leap from the pages, staying with the reader long after the story ends. There is an interesting parallel between the orphans who know little of their past and the abandoned warehouses whose history will soon be lost as they are torn down. Just as a brand new future awaits the Quay with modern shops and restaurants, so too these children will create a future for themselves. 2001, Delacorte, $15.95. Ages 11 to 14. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo

VOYA

When English orphans Erin Law, January Carr, and Mouse Gullane run away from their group home, Whitegates, their makeshift raft goes aground on a mudbank, the Black Middens. In this terrifying ruin of abandoned wharves and warehouses, oozing mud threatens to suck them under until they are discovered by the Middens' only inhabitants: a magical elfin girl named Heaven Eyes, and half-crazed Grampa. Pulling Heaven Eyes from the mud long ago, Grampa named her for her ability to see heaven through the world's grief and trouble. As Heaven Eyes grows close to Erin, Grampa and Mouse also bond, spending hours unearthing "treasures" in the mud. When Mouse discovers the beautifully preserved body of a long-dead seaman, Grampa calls it a "saint"—an object of beauty emerging from the mud—and begins to trust them. As wrecking balls arrive, Grampa asks the three to take Heaven Eyes back to Whitegates, giving her a box containing clues explaining the mystery of her origins. He dies quietly, and in a surreal scene, the spirits of Grampa and the seaman rise, walk across the mudflats, and disappear into the black water. The structure of the novel—from Whitegates to the Black Middens and back to Whitegates—acts as a metaphor for life's journey. The primary theme, that the ability to find beauty amid overwhelming ugliness and evil brings solace and healing, is evident in Heaven Eyes, who helps the others develop it. Almond's prose is lyrical, and the lilting dialect of Heaven Eyes and Grampa is appealing and expressive. His magical and mysterious world raises more questions than it answers. Younger readers will enjoy the engaging story in this multilayered work, whereas older readerswill appreciate the rich imagery. The characters' ages are not mentioned, but they act like younger teens. As in reality, the book's ending is not tidy. When the orphans return from their journey with Heaven Eyes, one senses that their real journeys are just beginning. This book has great depth—a provocative reading experience and excellent choice for classroom discussion. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2001, Random House, 240p, . Ages 12 to 15. Reviewer: Florence H. Munat SOURCE: VOYA, April 2001 (Vol. 24, No.1)

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-Welcome to the surreal world of David Almond and his haunting novel (Delacorte, 2001) about three orphans who run away from Whitegates, a home for "damaged" children. Fleeing down the Ouseburn River on a homemade raft fashioned from old doors, Erin Law, January Carr, and Mouse Gulane land on the Black Middens, a mud bank not far from where they began their journey. There they find Heaven Eyes, a strange girl with webbed feet and hands, who speaks pidgin English and lives in a derelict building with her mysterious and somewhat menacing caretaker named Grandpa. He and Heaven Eyes show Erin and her friends how to dig in the black mud, for "there is secrets and there is treasures and there is saints waiting to be found." The three runaways are captivated by Heaven Eyes, whose childlike innocence is a novelty. In his third children's book, Almond has written a tale as dark and deep as the river flowing through it. The narration by actress Amanda Plummer is a double treat. Her pacing is carefully measured to perfection, and the story is delivered in a soothing brogue. Those comfortable with ambiguous settings, ethereal characters, powerful themes, and strong imagery will be delighted.-Celeste Steward, Contra Costa County Library, Clayton, CA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Product Details

• Reading Group Guide
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Reading Group Guide

1. Though each of the children in Heaven Eyes is an orphan, Almond develops a strong sense of family throughout the book. What role does family play in the novel? According to the book, what does it take to become a family?

2. Names and the ability to be renamed are very important to the characters in the story. Discuss the significance of each character’s name to their role in the book. What does it mean when someone is renamed? How does it change their character? What happens when Heaven Eyes discovers her true name?

3. Heaven Eyes constantly reveals her sleep thoughts to Erin and explains that they are separate from her waking thoughts. Is this true? How do the sleep thoughts of Heaven Eyes and the other characters relate to their waking lives? What happens when the two realms collide?

4. Discuss the role of death in the novel. How does death impact each of the characters? How does the children’s perception of death change from the beginning of the novel to the end? What influence do Heaven Eyes and Grampa have on that perception?

5. Erin and January set out in search of freedom and decide to bring Mouse along when they find him scavenging the earth for "real treasure." (p. 35) Do you think January and Erin are looking only for freedom? How does their search change when they reach the Black Middens? What treasures do they find when they meet Heaven Eyes and Grampa? What do those treasures come to mean to them?

6. Contrast the reactions of Erin and January when they first meet Heaven Eyes. Why do you think they react so differently to her?

7. How are light and dark important in thebook? Who is associated with the light and who with the dark? Why do you think this is so?

8. The two living adult characters in the book have different ways of relating to the past. Grampa chooses to shroud the past in secrecy, while Maureen continually asks the children in her care to reveal their memories. How do the children respond to the adults’ ways of dealing with the past? What effect do the secrets and revelations have on the children? How do the children choose to deal with the past on their own? How does it affect their self-knowledge?

9. As they set out to return to Whitegates, Erin notes, "The most marvelous of things could be found a few yards away, a river’s-width away. The most extraordinary things existed in our ordinary world and just waited for us to find them." (p.194) How is this statement reflected throughout the book? How does this view of the world vary from one that Erin and January might have expressed at the beginning of the novel?

10. At the end of the novel Erin explains to Maureen that "We run for freedom. . . . Just for freedom." (p. 197) Do you think Erin, January, and Mouse found what they set out to find? Are there ways in which Heaven Eyes might represent freedom to them?

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