Skeleton Man

Within the first few pages of this book is a very disturbing and graphic scene where a man eats his finger, himself (piece by piece), and his relatives.

This is written to be a horror novel for teens - if your child is sensitive and/or prone to nightmares this novel will disturb them greatly.

Cannibalism, kidnapping, and child abuse - this book is disturbing on so many levels.

Parents - this book is often read (though I cannot fathom why) to children in grades 4, 5, and 6, especially around Halloween and/or as a "Native American Legend". Most parents will find that it is not appropriate as a mandatory reading assignment or a read-aloud story in your child's classroom. There are much better books for teachers to choose that would support their curriculum without scarring and scaring children.

From my daughter who is in 3rd grade:
I think it is mysterious and interesting.
After this, I plan to read "Return of the skeleton man".

Skeleton Man, by Joseph Bruchac is a creepy, suspenseful story. It is about a girl named Molly, who is sent to live with an impostor who claims to be her uncle. The legend of the skeleton man tells of a creature who ate his own flesh. Molly's fantasy dreams warn her that her uncle is like that monster. She is sneaky, clever and brave. We recommend this book for ages 9 and up. It will give you a shiver down your spine. You won't want too put it down. Who will save Molly? Can she save herself?

Ms. McLeod's class

The overall theme of this story can be frightening to young children (10 and under). The situations where Molly's parents are in jeopardy can be disturbing. While the reading level is listed as 9-12, I would consider this more appropriate for readers 12 and up due to the subject matter.

This is a much better mystery than many of the others that are out there for the age group.

The good: The length of the book is perfect. It appeals to students that don't want to read. The cover is decent, students find the cover appealing enough to pick up the book (and that is often half the battle). The story detail makes it easy to visualize what is happening.

The bad: Parts of the book do drag. The connection between the dreams and the "actual" events may be hard to make for many 10 year olds, causing some confusion with the ending. There are a lot of unexplained events. Too many for my opinion.

Overall, yeah, students pick it up. Some get it more than others. But, for the most part, they want to read it.