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Sula #1
Sula
The island of Sula is the whole world to Magnus Macduff. He loves every inch of it and knows all the animals and birds. Magnus is not like the other children on the island. Often, instead of going to school, he makes his way up the shore to visit Old Whiskers the seal, or up Heathery Hill to sit with Mr Skinnymalink the hermit in his cave. Magnus is afraid that Mr Murray, the new teacher on the island, will spoil his fun. But Mr Murray is nervous too. He is an outsider. Life threatens to become difficult for both of them—until Mr Murray discovers that Magnus has a wonderful gift for drawing, "seals, birds, dogs—so fresh and life-like that the creatures seem to be crawling across the arithmetic book." Sula is the first of four books about life on this tiny west-coast island and the adventures of Magnus Macduff.
- GenresFiction
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
2 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Lavinia Derwent
88 books4 followersLavinia Derwent (1909 – 1989) was the pen name of Scottish author and broadcaster Elizabeth Dodd MBE.
She was born in an isolated farmhouse in the Cheviot hills some seven miles from Jedburgh. She began making up stories about animals at an early age. Her most famous creation was "Tammy Troot" who entranced generations of children. She also wrote a best-selling book about an island called Sula which later featured in a film. The novels were: Sula (1969), Return to Sula (1971), The Boy From Sula (1973) and Song of Sula (1976). She also wrote a version of Greyfriars Bobby (1985). Her autobiographical books, particularly A Breath of Border Air recreate a world when it was the more fundamental things of life that mattered. Her Border Bairn series is set around Jedburgh, and Lady of the Manse has a Berwickshire setting. She wrote the wee kirk moose poem.
In the 1970s she co-presented the television series Teatime Tales (alternating with Molly Weir and Cliff Hanley) on STV in which she recollected stories from her own childhood.
She was born in an isolated farmhouse in the Cheviot hills some seven miles from Jedburgh. She began making up stories about animals at an early age. Her most famous creation was "Tammy Troot" who entranced generations of children. She also wrote a best-selling book about an island called Sula which later featured in a film. The novels were: Sula (1969), Return to Sula (1971), The Boy From Sula (1973) and Song of Sula (1976). She also wrote a version of Greyfriars Bobby (1985). Her autobiographical books, particularly A Breath of Border Air recreate a world when it was the more fundamental things of life that mattered. Her Border Bairn series is set around Jedburgh, and Lady of the Manse has a Berwickshire setting. She wrote the wee kirk moose poem.
In the 1970s she co-presented the television series Teatime Tales (alternating with Molly Weir and Cliff Hanley) on STV in which she recollected stories from her own childhood.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 16, 2011
Read this to my 6 and 7 year old. They loved it and begged me to read more each night. I also really enjoyed reading it to them so have bought the next in the series. Loved the gentle, sympathetic and often amusing portrayals of characters on the island and my children admired wild Magnus.
April 16, 2025
This is a charming book. I love it.
May 1, 2013
By Daisy
I read this book for school and found it unbearably dull and badly-written. The main character, Magnus McDuff (or Thisbookis Duff, as I call him) is shallow and surly, and the reader feels no relationship with him. He skips school. So what? Does this make him the wild and rebellious hero my classmates worshipped him as?
The teacher he begrudgingly forms a bond with is a character lacking in personality; and, as for Gran, well, don't let me get started on HER! The annoying Ginty, the silent tramp, the show-off vicar, the overenthusiastic nurse, longing for a catastrophe....can Derwent please create a character with some depth? In fact, the only character worth reading about is the seal. A very poor choice for children.
I read this book for school and found it unbearably dull and badly-written. The main character, Magnus McDuff (or Thisbookis Duff, as I call him) is shallow and surly, and the reader feels no relationship with him. He skips school. So what? Does this make him the wild and rebellious hero my classmates worshipped him as?
The teacher he begrudgingly forms a bond with is a character lacking in personality; and, as for Gran, well, don't let me get started on HER! The annoying Ginty, the silent tramp, the show-off vicar, the overenthusiastic nurse, longing for a catastrophe....can Derwent please create a character with some depth? In fact, the only character worth reading about is the seal. A very poor choice for children.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews