Silverwing [Paperback]

Kenneth Oppel (Author)

Book Description

Series: Silverwing

Shade is a young silverwing bat, the runt of his colony. But he's determined to prove himself on the long, dangerous winter migration to Hibernaculum, millions of wingbeats to the south. During a fierce storm, he loses the others and soon faces the most incredible journey of his young life. Desperately searching for a way to rejoin his flock, Shade meets a remarkable cast of characters: Marina, a Brightwing bat with a strange metal band on her leg; Zephyr, a mystical albino bat with an unusual gift; and Goth, a gigantic carnivorous vampire bat. But which ones are friends and which ones are enemies? In this epic story of adventure and suspense, Shade is going to need all the help he can find -- if he hopes to ever see his family again.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

PW compared this "gripping" epic starring a bat to Watership Down for the author's use of animal characters in his investigation of tolerance, intellectual freedom and other social concerns. Ages 8-12. (May)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6. The plot of this book sounds like the perfect adventure for a noble hero: a dangerous journey with a cryptic map and a trusty companion. But here's the catch: the hero is an undersized bat. Shade, a newborn Silverwing, is separated from his colony during their winter migrations. With the help of an exiled Brightwing, he must find his colony and save them from marauding cannibal bats imported from the tropics. In an author's note, Oppel writes that he "liked the challenge of taking animals that many might consider 'ugly' or 'scary' and fashioning them into interesting, appealing characters"; he has done just that with Shade and his comrades. While these characters are not particularly well rounded, readers will sympathize with the young bat's sometimes foolhardy efforts to prove that he's more than the colony runt, and the villains?fire-carrying owls and six-foot, flesh-eating bats?will keep even reluctant readers engaged. However, the greatest strengths of this story lie in its fast-paced, cliff-hanging action and its setting within the hollow trees and bell towers of the bats' monochromatic nighttime world. Recommend this one to fans of Avi's Poppy (Orchard, 1995); they won't be disappointed.?Beth Wright, Edythe Dyer Community Library, Hampden, ME
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (September 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416949984
• ISBN-13: 978-1416949985
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (105 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,777 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Mammals > Fiction
  • #57 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Mammals
  • #70 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Situations > Self-Esteem & Self-Respect

More About the Author

Kenneth Oppel is the author of numerous books for young readers. His award-winning Silverwing trilogy has sold over a million copies worldwide, and been adapted as an animated TV series and stage play. Airborn was winner of a Michael L Printz Honor Book Award, and the Canadian Governor General's Award for Children's Literature; its sequel, Skybreaker, was a New York Times bestseller and was named Children's Novel of the Year by the London Times. His most recent book is HALF BROTHER. Born on Vancouver Island, he has lived in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, England, Ireland, and now lives in Toronto with his wife and children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absorbing Fantasy-Adventure, May 8, 2005

By 

Jason Ayoub (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Silverwing (Paperback)

This captivating novel should be enjoyed by both young children and adults. Kenneth Oppel is the only author I know who has dared use a young bat as a protaganist, and the reward to the reader is a beautiful glimse into a bat's black and white world. Young readers in particular should be able to identify with Shade, whose longings and affections are remarkably human and always understandable. As well as being an excellent adventure story, it is also an educative introduction to bat rituals. Complex allusions to human behavior, religion and culture make this a sophisticated fantasy that I throughly recommend.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Silverwings, March 8, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Silverwing (Paperback)

Soon they would be leaving, leaving Tree Haven, leaving their home. For what? To sleep in a hole for four months straight? Dreading the day they migrate south for the winter, Shade vows to prove himself by completing their quest. Shade is the runt of a colony of bats called Silverwings. He has always been a bit slower and weaker than the other newborns. Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel, is a heartwarming tale of friendship, courage, and how it feels to be extraordinary. Soon Shade meets two carnivorous bats, Goth and Throbb, who threaten to eat Shade and his colony. I would recommend this book because you never know what is going to happen next. If you like this book their are two other books in this series. Can Shade make the journey to the hibernation site? Will he prove himself to be as strong and promising as the other newborns? Can he save his colony from the wrath of the mighty Goth and his partner, Throbb? I hope you read this book and discover the many conflicts of Shade's journey.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soar With Shade in this epic adventure, September 17, 2000

By 

lemonade friek (sandiego California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Silverwing (Paperback)

When Shade get's lost from his group during a storm, he ends up on an island with a bat named maria. the two travel together through thick and thin they survive attacks from owls and vampire bats, they fly through storms and look after eachother. In the end these bold little bats, wait a moment, you'll have to buy and read this enchanting story on your own. Wether you're a bat lover or not this story truly changes the way people think about bats. I hope you become interested in this story and get this book. I tell ya , It sure changed the way I think about bats.