Skeleton Man

R. L. Stine

“The legend is chilling—and the terror builds on every page. This book gave ME nightmares!”

R.L. Stine

"The legend is chilling—and the terror builds on every page. This book gave ME nightmares!"

Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books

Reluctant as well as eager readers...will relish this fast-paced supernatural chase.

Publishers Weekly

According to the gutsy sixth grade narrator of Bruchac's (Heart of a Chief; Sacagawea) latest novel, the book draws from the traditions of Native American stories, especially one about a "skeleton man," for its spine-tingling effects. Not long after Molly's parents mysteriously disappear one night, her "great-uncle" shows up to claim her, with photographs of her family that convince the adults around her (but not Molly) that he is a relative. In fact, the photos look suspiciously like those that belonged to her father, who grew up on a Mohawk reservation. Each night, the bony guardian locks her into her room, allowing her to attend school during the day. Molly relies on the deciphering of her dreams, her "warrior-girl" courage and the support of her quirky but compassionate teacher to solve the mystery and rescue her parents. The eerie figure of the semi-human creature pretending to be Molly's uncle is particularly well drawn: "His fingers spread out so wide that they look like the talons of a giant bird.... His eyes are twin blue flames burning from within his skull." The mix of traditional and contemporary cultural references adds to the story's haunting appeal, and the quick pace and suspense, particularly in the last few chapters, will likely hold the interest of young readers. Ages 10-14. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

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. (Aug.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

VOYA

There was once a lazy, greedy uncle who let others hunt while he waited in the lodge. One day, while everyone was out, he burned his finger badly in the fire and stuck it into his mouth to cool it. "Oooh," he said as he sucked the cooked flesh, "this tastes good!" One thing leads to another, until the greedy uncle is nothing but a skeleton. Of course, he is still hungry, and waits anxiously for his relatives to come home. Molly thought that this was just a fantastical story her Mohawk father told to scare her at night. The tale takes on heightened meaning when Molly's parents disappear and a man who claims to be her great-uncle steps forward to take her in. Molly knows she is in trouble when this man locks her room each night and watches her every move. Her dreams are haunted by the skeleton man, who begins to resemble her uncle, and by a rabbit that urges her to solve the mystery of her parents' disappearance. This wonderful, suspenseful story will keep readers guessing about the nature of great uncle and his relation to the skeleton man of Molly's dreams. Bruchac is especially strong at showing Molly's evolution from scared girl to a courageous young woman. References to native culture make the story even more vivid. This would be a perfect tale of the supernatural except for its disappointing ending that fails to satisfy the curiosity that the author has so ably aroused. Although it is true that the motivations of wicked people cannot always be known, it is a struggle to understand the strange behavior of skeleton man. Nevertheless this book will appeal to those who love scary stories. PLB $14.89. VOYA CODES: 4Q 3P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Willappeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2001, HarperCollins, 128p, $14.95. Ages 11 to 15. Reviewer: Alison Kastner

Children's Literature

Does Molly have too much imagination, or is her uncle slowly poisoning her in a house of doom? Master storyteller Bruchac reshapes a ghost story from his Abenaki heritage and places it in a modern day setting. Molly loves the grisly tale about Lazy Uncle consuming himself down to dry bones and then devouring his relatives—until her own parents vanish and the spooky story becomes real. Or does it? The horror of Stephen King and the creepiness of R.L. Stine blend effectively with a background of Native-American culture. Throw in a touch of Hansel and Gretel and this spine-chilling mystery comes to life in ordinary details as well as macabre ones—a home without pictures, an old shed with a new padlock, a 40watt bulb. Even a bowl of corn flakes becomes menacing. Shadowy black and white illustrations add to the fear factor. Like most scary tales, this one has holes that will leave readers with questions. The answers, however, aren't as important as the maxims to be found in ancient tales¾people aren't always what they seem, or, in the face of evil, be brave and smart. This engaging ghost story begs to be read aloud—by candlelight. 2001, HarperCollins, $15.95. Ages 10 up. Reviewer: Betty Hicks

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Bruchac weaves an incredibly scary story of a girl whose warm, contented family is suddenly torn apart. Molly's knowledge of and immersion in her Mohawk heritage is something she takes for granted, as are the wisdom and strength that come from understanding the traditional tales and listening to one's dreams. She sets the stage as she tells one of her father's favorite stories about a man who is hungry and eats himself and then everyone around except for one clever young girl. Molly then discloses that her own parents have suddenly disappeared. An eerie, stick-thin old man arrives claiming to be her only kin using the pictures from her father's wallet. Adults on the scene vary from being clueless to well intentioned but ineffectual. Brought to skeleton man's house and locked in a room every evening, Molly keeps trying to find a way out, eventually finding that heeding her dreams, combined with some great detective work, does the trick. Better than many mystery writers, who make the clues obvious, Bruchac makes every word add to the tension right up to the final few pages. Details of video cameras and computers help to sustain belief in a highly improbable plot. The suspense draws readers in and keeps them engaged. In the classic horror tradition, Bruchac offers a timely tale that will make hearts beat and brows sweat, and it has the bonus of a resourceful heroine to put the world right again.-Carol A. Edwards, Sonoma County Library, Santa Rosa, CA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Bruchac (The Journal of Jesse Smoke, p. 655, etc.) sets this short nail-biter, based on a Mohawk legend-about a man with an appetite so insatiable that he eats himself down to bones, then goes after his relatives-in modern New York state. Despite her protests, when Molly's parents suddenly disappear, she's handed over to a tall, thin stranger claiming to be her great-uncle. Molly can't convince anyone, except a sympathetic but powerless teacher, that she's in danger. But as she is locked into her new room each night, seldom catches even a glimpse of her captor's face, and discovers that he has a closed-circuit TV camera trained on her door, she recalls a scary tale her Mohawk father tells. She also begins having strange dreams: of being pursued, and of a rabbit who offers warnings and guidance. Those dreams turn real when she escapes, finds her parents imprisoned in an adjoining building, then leads her captor on a desperate run through dark woods to a (perhaps final) confrontation on a high, rickety bridge. Bruchac adds believable details, vigorously cranks up the suspense, and pits a deliciously ghastly creature who likes to play with his food against a resourceful young heroine who draws both on courage and cultural tradition to come out on top. A natural for under-the-blanket reading. (Fiction. 10-12)