The Boy Who Could Fly

By James Norcliffe

Book Overview

A young boy lives in an orphanage that is completely surrounded by a thick wall. Every day, he wishes he were free. He wishes he had a new life. And then he meets the loblolly boy, who is strange,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1606840843
• ISBN13: 9781606840849
• Release Date: July 2010
• Publisher: EgmontUSA
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 1.3" x 6.1"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

The Boy Who Could Fly is the story of Michael, a young man living a miserable existence in an orphanage, who is one day given a way out. He meets a young man who tells him that he can teach him to fly, and when Michael falls for the trick, he loses his humanity and becomes a loblolly boy. Michael soon finds out that this new existence is not all it's cracked up to be. Sure, flying is great, and who hasn't dreamed of being invisible? The problem is that he is now cut off from all humanity, and that isn't so great. Now his life at the orphanage doesn't look so bad. His journey from orphan to loblolly boy back to human again makes for a great read that is sure to engage anyone ages 11 to 15. We even get a pretty good villain thrown in the mix in the form of the collector, who wants to capture the loblolly boy to add to his butterfly collection. The pacing here is spot on, and the characters are well formed. This title is from New Zealand, so you get a few "Bloody Hell's" scattered about, and other slang terms that add to the story's rather exotic appeal. This is a quick read and even though the beginning is very melancholy, I think kids will be motivated to stick with it just because the premise is so intriguing. When the story really gets cooking, there's enough body switching and chasing to make your head spin. Most kids will be left wondering what they would trade for the ability to fly and be invisible and if it would truly be worth it. A solid choice for fantasy loving tweeners and young teens. Recommended.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Michael lives a miserable existence in the strict orphanage he calls home, until the day he meets the loblolly boy. At first amused by the boy's insistence that he can fly, Michael is awed when he sees the boy's wings, and agrees to learn to fly, too. When, by magic, he and the loblolly boy switch places, he's only too happy to flee the orphanage and thrill in the freedom of flight. But Michael soon discovers there are plenty of disadvantages to life as a loblolly boy. He can't feel cold or warmth, he can't eat, and only a few people can see and hear him, so for the most part he's completely alone. With the help of an old sailer and his mysterious telescope, Michael finds a family with twin girls he feels a strange connection to. As he gets to know them, he starts to see there may be a way to fix everything, as long as he can stay out of the maniacal Collector's grasp in time to do it. THE BOY WHO COULD FLY is a magical adventure. Readers will sympathize with Michael's plight both as a regular human and as a loblolly boy, and follow him eagerly through the twists and turns of his journey. Though mostly light with moments of humor, the book also manages to consider what it means to be human, and what is worth sacrificing to hold onto ones humanity, which will leave readers thinking after they've turned the last page. Reviewed by: Lynn Crow