33) Sally's Bones

Bibliography: Cadenhead, MacKenzie; Sally’s Bones; Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; Naperville, IL; 2011; 164 pages; ISBN 978-1-4022-5943-2.

Plot: Sally Simplesmith is not like other girls; she has no friends and she dresses strangely in concert T-shirts and jeans.  When Viola Vanderperfect moves back to town, Sally thinks that this is her chance to finally have one friend, however, Viola has different plans for the pair.  After Viola explains that the two girls will never be friends, Sally turns to her mother’s grave to tell of the story.  At her mother’s grave, Sally is introduced to Bones, a dog made out of only bones.  The dog is just like a normal dog, but is lacking in flesh.  Sally and Bones soon become best friends and Sally is finally happy for the first time since her mother passed away.  When the community’s dog’s starts having their marrowbones disappear, Bones is the first suspect.  It is up to Sally and Bones to show the community that Bones is innocent, but in order to do that, they must find who the true culprit is.

Review:  This book is narrated in the third person.  It gives readers an inside look into the whole community of Merryland.  When Bones is introduced into the book, I immediately thought of a Tim Burton movie.  Any reader that is a fan of Burton’s work will love this book. 

Sally and Bones are a great pair to figure out who actually stole the marrowbones. Since Sally is used to being on the outside looking in, she is able to get a better perspective of the situation.  Bones doesn’t like bones, and thinks it’s an insult when given one, so he is able to sniff out the culprit.  The characters in this book are all very interesting and their names describe them perfectly.  Viola Vanderperfect only wants to be seen as perfect and Chati Chattercathy is a gossip.  This book is humourous and serious at the same time.  What a great read.

Genre: Mystery/Horror

Interest Level: age 9-12

Related Books: The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn; The Keeper of the Trees by Beverly Brenna; Flitterwig by Edrei Cullen.

Characters: 

Sally – the protagonist

Bones – Sally’s dog

Seymour Simplesmith – Sally’s father

Viola Vanderperfect – Sally’s enemy, the antagonist

Vivien Vanderperfect – Viola’s mother

Author Information: http://www.sallysbones.com/about-me/