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situationnormal's review against another edition
3.0
This is a re-read so I'm not going to change my original rating. I read it in middle school for Battle of the Books, originally, so I wanted to re-read because I had absolutely zero recollection of it as an adult. Sometimes I'll re-read these books and remember plot points but this one I remembered nothing at all of--maybe because it's so short? It's short, zippy, and creepy, but I can't see it leaving much of an impression this time around either. It was a fun couple of hours, though.
jackiesreadingjourney's review against another edition
3.0
This was super creepy & unsettling. I felt disturbed throughout but had to finish it asap because I needed to know the ending. I had to read this for my children’s literature course… but I’d never read this to a kid lol
reverendpear's review against another edition
5.0
I first read this book almost twenty years ago because my sister really enjoyed it. I loved it, and read it probably two or three more times over that following year. I found it again recently while looking for stuff to read for Halloween, and decided to see if it holds up (at least as something I would recommend to kids today). It absolutely does.
lattelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
At last, vindication!
I've spent far too long wondering whether the story of a man who ate his own flesh was from a book I'd read in my childhood or whether it was something I'd just made up. I scoured books like Skellig and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark but came up with nothing...until now. When this book passed my hands at the circulation desk, a core memory unlocked. Something about it told me that this would be the grand prize on my quest. And it was.
Molly's parents have disappeared and she's left in the care of an uncle she's never heard of. He locks her in her room every night and gives her plenty of food to eat. While her teacher and school counselor are concerned for Molly and do their best with the knowledge they have, they are not familiar with Native American traditions or stories like the Skeleton Man. If they were, they might have been more helpful--though the emotional support was enough for Molly to feel better.
With the help of a rabbit in her dreams guiding her and her quick thinking, Molly finds her parents and stops her "uncle".
This is a fantastic book that I forever want in the children's canon, and one that I'm always going to recommend. It touches on topics of trust, family, support, and courage while also touching on the very real adult concerns of a child whose door locks on the outside. Not only this, but this book--beyond just being a pleasurable read--can help teach children how to infer and predict what will happen next, and how to read subtext.
What can I say? Joseph Bruchac is a formidable author.
I've spent far too long wondering whether the story of a man who ate his own flesh was from a book I'd read in my childhood or whether it was something I'd just made up. I scoured books like Skellig and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark but came up with nothing...until now. When this book passed my hands at the circulation desk, a core memory unlocked. Something about it told me that this would be the grand prize on my quest. And it was.
Molly's parents have disappeared and she's left in the care of an uncle she's never heard of. He locks her in her room every night and gives her plenty of food to eat. While her teacher and school counselor are concerned for Molly and do their best with the knowledge they have, they are not familiar with Native American traditions or stories like the Skeleton Man. If they were, they might have been more helpful--though the emotional support was enough for Molly to feel better.
With the help of a rabbit in her dreams guiding her and her quick thinking, Molly finds her parents and stops her "uncle".
This is a fantastic book that I forever want in the children's canon, and one that I'm always going to recommend. It touches on topics of trust, family, support, and courage while also touching on the very real adult concerns of a child whose door locks on the outside. Not only this, but this book--beyond just being a pleasurable read--can help teach children how to infer and predict what will happen next, and how to read subtext.
What can I say? Joseph Bruchac is a formidable author.
skylarweiss's review against another edition
I first read this as a child in elementary school and I remember being so creeped out and scared by the story. Revisited it as an adult and I'm happy to say it still holds up. While the story is told in a somewhat rushed fashion due to it being only a little over 100 pages long and targeting a younger audience, the author was still able to pack in a lot of creepy vibes that had me unsettled even now.
erinsbookshelves's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
emma_liz's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
pollyno9's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0