Little Bones

Gr 3-7–Since the death of her younger brother, Bones has withdrawn. To compound this self-isolation, her mother is working far away from home, and her once-close friend has replaced her. Now living with her grandmother, the 11-year-old spends most of her time scouring the ground for dead treasures and drawing the small animal bones, insect shells, and feathers kept in her collection. Then, under a full moon, Bones accidentally wishes a bird skeleton back to life. This secret is immediately discovered by the new nonbinary neighbor, Tenny, who is determined to bring Bones out of her shell. The trio become hesitant friends, but Bird is unhappy in his new state of being, so the tweens try to discover how to reverse his curse—which means Bones must navigate letting go once again. Told in verse, the magic of this story translates easily to the page. Bones is struggling with complex emotions—loss, guilt, loneliness—but her feelings are clearly articulated in the expressive language forming the short chapters. Her new relationships force her to confront her feelings and, in the process, lower her defenses, taking readers along on her journey. In addition to themes of grief, friendship, and hope, the work touches on the healing power of community, nature, and recycling. Small grayscale illustrations of Bones’s collection, reminiscent of her own drawings, can be found throughout. Bones is described as having brown skin.