Skeleton Man

September 1, 2003
Drawing on traditions of Native American stories, Bruchac writes of a girl whose parents mysteriously disappear and a "great-uncle" who shows up to claim her, with "spine-tingling effects," wrote PW. "The mix of traditional and contemporary cultural references adds to the haunting appeal, and the quick pace and suspense will likely hold the interest of young readers." Ages 10-up.

Native American Joseph Bruchac borrows from an Abenaki legend about the skeleton man. The contemporary setting of the story will intrigue listeners. When young Molly awakens to discover her parents missing, she doesn't know what to think. Tension and excitement grow as she discovers she must fight a much older man for the lives of her family. Narrator Carine Montbertrand captures the reactions of a girl Molly's age in a lifelike way. She sustains suspense well while meeting the challenge of bringing to life what is essentially a two-character novel. This book, which is on many reading lists, is excellent, even for reluctant readers. S.G.B. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine