Skeleton Creek (book 1) [Print] [Hardcover]

Patrick Carman (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 10, 2009 | Age Range: 8 and up

A breakthrough new series from bestselling author Patrick Carman, featuring text and technology in an innovative new way.

Strange things are happening in Skeleton Creek . . . and Ryan and Sarah are trying to get to the heart of it. But after an eerie accident leaves Ryan housebound and forbidden to see Sarah, their investigation takes two tracks: Ryan records everything in his journal, while Sarah uses her videocam to search things out. . .and then email the clips for Ryan to see.

In a new, groundbreaking format, the story is broken into two parts -- Ryan's text in the book, and Sarah's videos on a special website, with links and passwords given throughout the book.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up—Ryan McCray and Sarah Fincher wonder how Skeleton Creek, OR, received its name. Research takes them on a nighttime expedition to a mechanical dredge, where Ryan breaks his leg. The teens think the dredge is haunted by Joe Bush, a miner killed there. The book is interspersed with Sarah's videos, which can be accessed on the Internet. The mystery remains to be solved; sequels are guaranteed. Plot weaknesses mitigate the teen appeal of the Internet tie-in concept. The book's central flaw: it is not scary. Ryan's narration should provide creepy immediacy, but his constant insistence that he is petrified never plays out in the story. The book ramps up and peters out, without a climax or resolution of the mystery. The repetitive musings hold the pace to a slow walk, and Carman relies on contrivance to keep adults at bay. Another reason it lags is the lack of synergy between Ryan and Sarah, even though they are supposedly best friends. They communicate only via electronic means (their parents have forbidden their friendship), and their individual findings don't dovetail into one coherent story line. Even if one stops to watch Sarah's videos, there seem to be missing pieces of information that make the plot hard to follow. The actual telling is a sad departure from the intriguing premise.—Caitlin Augusta, The Darien Library, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

A gimmick? You betcha. But given the novelty and the advertising blast this novel with accompanying Web videos is getting, this is something kids will want. And Carman’s accessible, journal-type text, full of mystery and foreshadowing, pulls from the outset. Teenage Ryan records the circumstances that landed him with a broken leg, forever—according to his parents—parted from his partner in mischief, Sarah Fincher. But parental edicts mean little in the face of a true mystery in the teens’ boring town, so the two use technology to keep in touch: while Ryan journals and frets, Sarah films her adventures, references to which appear periodically in the journal along with the address of a Web site where they can be viewed. With an appropriately homemade look, the nicely choreographed videos definitely build atmosphere, but for most of the novel, readers won’t miss vital clues if a computer isn’t close at hand. It’s the ending that really annoys: the last page of the journal leads to a video that promises answers—but not until May 2009. A spoiler? Not quite, but certainly something book purchasers should know about. Grades 5-8. --Stephanie Zvirin

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press; First Edition edition (February 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545075661
• ISBN-13: 978-1765043549
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,224 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #49 in Books > Children's Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Spine-Chilling Horror

More About the Author

I have been a lifelong writer and storyteller. Salem, Oregon is where I spent my formative years and I graduated from Willamette University. After college, I spent a decade living in Portland, Oregon where I worked in advertising, game design, and technology.

I've written young adult and children's books for Scholastic, Little Brown Books For Young Readers and Katherine Tegen Books/ HarperCollins Publishers.

I've been fortunate enough to have had some bestselling series work: The Land of Elyon, Atherton, Elliot's Park, 39 Clues, and Skeleton Creek. Here's a fun note...the books have been translated into approximately two dozen languages. Currently I'm developing a few new-media projects. Check out DARK EDEN to experience this type of cross-platform project.

When I'm not writing or creating a story, I spend my free time supporting literacy campaigns and community organizations, fly fishing, playing basketball and tennis, doing crosswords, watching movies, dabbling in video games, reading (lots), and (more than anything else) spending time with my wife and two daughters.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Book Review: Skeleton Creek February 16, 2009

By T. Jonker

Format:Hardcover

Skeleton Creek. Part book, part online movie. It incorporates text and video in a way that has not been done before. Skeleton Creek will be the topic of some debate, folks (What is reading? What is a book?). None of it would be worth much if the book wasn't so much fun to read.

The story moves from the get-go. We find out that the book is really Ryan's journal. Ryan is a compulsive, passionate writer who would be lost without the ability to put pen to paper. In handwriting-style font, Ryan describes a recent accident that has left him bed ridden, separated from his friend Sarah, and wrapped up in a mystery that he is in no position to solve. Skeleton Creek, a tiny mountain town that was once bustling with gold rush activity, has been host to some strange goings-on. The abandoned dredge in the nearby woods may be haunted. Ryan and Sarah's first nighttime visit to the dilapidated old machine nearly killed Ryan. Sarah, a curious amateur filmmaker, wants to get to the bottom of things. The two are forbidden (by their parents) to talk, but communicate anyway though email and videos that Sarah sends (and the reader watches). As the mystery becomes more complex, involving family members, Ryan and Sarah become increasingly brazen in their investigation. It all culminates in a genuinely scary middle of the night trip to the Dredge that ends with our protagonists in peril.

It's the kind of cliffhanger ending that will leave some readers frustrated. Scratch that - outright displeased. But it's for the right reasons. There is a sequel that will be released in September `09 (Ghost in the Machine), so that will ease some readers, anxious to know how it will end. Initially, before I knew about the sequel, I thought it was up to the reader to piece together the ending through online clues - man am I glad they didn't go that route. However, there is a large amount of online content for readers to delve into before the sequel hits shelves for those who are so inclined. All of the sites associated with the book treat the story like it really happened, increasing the scare factor.

The smooth combination of text and video is impressive. Every couple chapters, Sarah sends Ryan a message with a password. You head to the website, type in the password, and the video begins immediately. Some videos show Sarah talking, but most are from the field, revealing new characters or information about the dredge. Fans of scary will love these, while easily spooked children's lit bloggers may choose to watch them with all the lights on, and the stereo playing. And the TV on.

There are moments that distract from the storyline. One occurs when Ryan is writing down his escape from the house as it happens. I know the author wanted to express the tension of the moment, but make sure your disbelief is set to "suspended" for this scene. Also, the character who plays Sarah occasionally lapses into some "just spit it out!"-type moments. Thankfully, these flaws are fairly minor, and do not have much of an impact on the work as a whole.

There will be those who question the legitimacy of the format, but here's the bottom line:

It's an entertaining read, an engaging mystery, and it should perk up the ears of even the most reluctant of readers. You will be doing yourself a favor by adding it to your collection.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars BLT Reviews July 1, 2009

By Books and Literature for Teens (BLT)

Format:Hardcover

After a "accident" happens while exploring the old dredge (a huge mining machine), Ryan McCray is left with a broken leg and a encounter he'll never forget. While Ryan is recovering, he starts recounting his story in his journal, whereas Sarah takes things into her own hands and starts getting to the bottom of this chilling mystery one video at a time. Two teens, one ghost, and a town full secret society members. Something is wrong with Skeleton Creek, but can the twosome find the answer before they burn the dredge to ground and all it's secrets with it?

*****

Master of creepiness or an artists with panicky words? That is the question. When I first started reading this book I noticed that how the author got you scared was with simple words and phrases like "fear", "too terrible to write down", "dredge", "watching", or even "window". I hate windows at night. And wouldn't you know it, that is how the "ghost" is introduced... peeping through a window (see book cover). Is it just me or do I feel a chill? Hmm, oh well. The first two videos are creepy and I would highly recommend a buddy being there with you. Good news though, the rest of the videos are fine. No creepy things popping up, mainly stuff about the mystery. The mystery parts were actually quite interesting and I'm anticipating the next book, but I'm a little nervous about the videos. I can't say that I was so scared out of my pants that I couldn't continue, but it was enough to creep me out. I don't particularly like ghost stories unless I have a good hunch (and it turns out to be true) that the so-called ghost is a real person just scaring people. (I think I watched too many Scooby-Doos.) I thought combining text and video was a really neat idea and, although I prefer to read rather than watch, I think this new idea is a great way to get kids to read. I really don't agree with this book being labeled 9-12 because if someone younger than twelves picks up this book, chances are they'll have a hard time going to sleep. I would recommend to anyone age 12+, but definitely not anyone younger.

If you like ghost mysteries, grab this book and let the story of Skeleton Creek suck you in. Hey, this would even be a great thing to read during a sleep-over. But if you're faint of heart or don't like to be scared, then you know you shouldn't read this book.
No goosebumps? Great. Well here's your chance to experience Ryan and Sarah's adventure yourself because I'm giving away a signed copy of Skeleton Creek. I'm 90% sure that I'm going to give away some other books along with Skeleton Creek, so it might be a few more weeks till this book is actually up for grabs. Please stay tuned!

Ready for the next chilling adventure? Don't hold your breath 'cause Book 2, Ghost In The Machine (Skeleton Creek) will be here October 1st, 2009.

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Age Group: YA, ages 12+
Content: Spookiness

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent February 14, 2009

By Steven R. McEvoy TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

Every now and then you come across a book that is so unique, so different, so incredible that you just want to share it with everyone you know. This is one of those books. I read it three times in a week, and still want to go back over it again, in case I missed anything. What makes this book so incredible is that it is actually more than a book; it is a new entertainment experience. It is a book, it is a movie and it is fantastic. The story is told in two parts.

It is the story of Ryan and Sarah, who live in Skeleton Creek Oregon. They become fascinated with the town's name, and the fact that it only changed to that recently. While investigating the mystery of the name, they find out about a ghost story of a man named Joe Bush who died in a mining dredge outside of town. While investigating the dredge, something strange happens and Ryan falls and breaks his leg. That is where our story begins. Ryan is in the hospital recovering and he starts to tell the story in his journal so he can make sense of it, and in case something happens to him. But the story is told by both Ryan and Sarah. Currently their parents will not allow them to see each other because they believe that it will encourage their investigative efforts.

Yet the two are staying in contact over the web. Ryan is writing the story in his journal, which is our book, and Sarah is creating videos and posting them on her website[...]. Combined they tell the story. It is a great new media/literary adventure. Even the packaging and presentation is new. The book comes in a sleeve like a cover on a new DVD that says: "Read the book ... Watch the videos." Once you slide the book out, it looks like a hard cover journal, and it looks like it was hand-written. The journal has illustrations and, what appears to be items taped inside it.

This story is incredibly well done. It is a ghost story for the net generation. You have to read the book and watch the videos and follow groups and websites online to find out more details and background to the story. It is well-written and the videos are amazing. I did read the book the first time to see if it could stand alone without the web component and it does, but the videos take the book to a whole new level of reading entertainment. Some of the websites that you can check out are:
[...]
The only bad thing I can say about it is that it ends with a cliff-hanger and the conclusion, Ghost in the Machine - Skeleton Creek Book 2, is not due out until September 2009. This book has made my top ten all-time fiction list. It is a ghost story extraordinaire. So as the cover says, read the book and watch the videos - you will be drawn in and amazed by the story!

(First published in Imprint 2009-01-09.)