Exploring landscape and environment in David Almond’s writing. Award-winning author David Almond and StoryMachine curator Janet Smyth discuss the ways in which his writing explores the connections between past and present; civilisation and wilderness; and language, myth and folklore. David’s latest novel, Bone Music, follows Sylvia as she moves into wild Northumberland from the city of Newcastle. She feels alien in this seemingly empty landscape, until she meets Gabriel, a strange-yet-familiar boy. As they roam the forests and fields together, she sees nature with new eyes. Bone Music is a book of hope and joy, which celebrates humanity and explores the deep connections between ourselves and nature. Part of a five-part series exploring diverse aspects of childrens’ literature.