Skeleton Man [Paperback]

Joseph Bruchac (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Ever since the morning Molly woke up to find that her parents hadvanished, her life has become filled with terrible questions. Where have her parents gone? Who is this spooky old man who's taken her to live with him, claiming to be her great-uncle? Why does he never eat, and why does he lock her in her room at night? What are her dreams of the Skeleton Man trying to tell her? There's one thing Molly does know. She needs to find some answers before it's too late.

Editorial Reviews

From 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.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 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 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (August 5, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439439612
• ISBN-13: 978-0064408882
• ASIN: 0064408884
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,245 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( B ) > Bruchac, Joseph
  • #70 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Multicultural Stories > Native North & South Americans

More About the Author

Joseph Bruchac is a highly acclaimed Abenaki children's book author, poet, novelist and storyteller, as well as a scholar of Native American culture. Coauthor with Michael Caduto of the bestselling Keepers of the Earth series, Bruchac's poems, articles and stories have appeared in over 500 publications, from Akwesasne Notes and American Poetry Review to National Geographic and Parabola. He has authored more than 50 books for adults and children. For more information about Joseph, please visit his website www.josephbruchac.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Things that go "thump thump thump" in the night, March 28, 2002

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Skeleton Man (Hardcover)

Joseph Bruchac skillfully mixes a worrying modern-day scenario with an old Native American legend -- and produces an enduring spinechiller. Fans of legends, scary beasties, and strong heroines will find a fun read here.

Molly is having difficulties -- though her life is pretty normal, one Sunday she wakes up to find that her parents are missing. They haven't been found, no one knows where they are, but Molly is sure that they're alive and going to return. Social Services isn't as convinced as she is, and she ends up in the care of a formerly unknown great-uncle. Only problem is, this great-uncle (who is never named in the book) gives her a strange feeling. He's tall, bony, and sinister -- reminding her of an old legend about the carnivorous Skeleton Man, who tried to catch and devour his niece, before she was helped by a talking rabbit.

Her sense of foreboding grows stronger. She suspects that he's drugging her food and locking her door; strange dreams are haunting her, in which her stick-thin uncle wants her "fattened up." Frightened and unable to get help (others consider her too imaginative), Molly must escape the clutches of what she suspects to be the Skeleton Man.

Frightening? You bet. Bruchac has good insight into the mind of a frightened, lonely young girl, but one with guts, initiative, and imagination. Molly is a heroine that kids -- especially girls -- will be totally sympathetic to. The rabbit is both sufficiently real and otherworldly, while "my uncle" displays sinister malice without any cheap tricks. It permeates every scene he's in.

The writing is fast-paced and devoid of "dead spots," descriptions are highly evocative, and Bruchac displays dry wit in all the right places ("I don't need some furry Oprah Winfrey to tell me I need to get my spiritual act in order"). This book is pretty short -- only 114 pages -- and sometimes felt like it could use a little more length and buildup. There is also a lack of noticeable supporting characters, and I wish that Molly had gotten a best friend to bounce ideas off of. The inner illustrations (can't find the name of whoever did them) are soft-edged and slightly surreal.

Overall, an effective spinetingler that will not allow you to hear heavy footsteps without thinking "Skeleton Man!"

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Skeleton Man, August 28, 2001

By 

Marie Boyum "kidbks" (WI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Skeleton Man (Library Binding)

Prepare to be scared! Although based on a Native American tale the author makes you feel as though Molly (the main character) could be anyone in your classroom. When she wakes up to find her parents are not home and that days later they still do not arrive, the eerie tale begins. Molly learns she must trust her intuition and dreams that lead her to know the truth about what is happening to her and what has happened to her parents. Her strength and initiative (warrior instincts) are what gets her through. Not the ending I expected with a children's book , but showing girls can be strong and solve problems makes this a book I would recommend to those who dare to be scared.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Spine Tingling Tale, September 28, 2003

By 

"tmlky" (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Skeleton Man (Hardcover)

Do you enjoy chilling stories? If so, _Skeleton Man_ is a spine tingling must read for you. The story is fast paced and one the reader will have a hard time putting down. Boys and girls alike will enjoy this suspenseful tale.

_Skeleton Man_ by Joseph Bruchac is a Native American legend with a traditional story twist told through the eyes of Molly. Molly leads a fairly normal life until her parents suddenly disappear. The story is an eerie tale of her life since her parents' disappearance. She is convinced that her parents are still alive, but is not sure exactly where they are or why they have abandoned her. Molly is sent to live with a man who supposedly is her "uncle" even though she has never met him and whom she has very uneasy feelings about. Her "uncle" actually reminds her of an old Native American legend about a "Skeleton Man" that her father once told her about. Throughout the story Molly also has dreams that seem to be warning her of impending dangers. Molly is a very likable, down to earth character to which the reader will definitely develop a special bond. Molly is also a very strong, but lonely girl with seemingly no one to trust until she finally confides in a teacher at school. In the end, Molly musters enough courage to plan an escape, but will it be in time to save her parents?

Caution to young readers: this book is recommended for ages 10 and up. I would definitely stay within those guidelines. The story gets a bit gruesome in the description of "Skeleton Man's" eating habits in the first chapter.

The book is quite scary, but fun. I enjoyed Molly's spunk and the illustrations scattered throughout the book were an added plus as well. Pick up a copy of _Skeleton Man_ today for some hair-raising excitement where the "terror builds on every page".