When the Bones Sing

Gr 8 Up–Dovie Clover, 17, can find the bones and bodies of people who have gone missing on the Aux-Arc Trail in her small town of Lucifer’s Creek in the Arkansas Ozarks. She can hear the bones of the dead sing, and they’ve been calling out to her, even though Dovie does not believe in magic. Her best friend Lowan does believe, and he sees the ghosts of people who have been killed on the trail. He thinks the ghosts want him to help end the killings. Together, the friends try to find whatever is killing the hikers and uncover secrets within their families and the town. Filled with magic, beauty, and darkness, this novel will keep readers on their toes, eager to see what happens next. The story is brimming with the warm, lazy days of a small town while also managing to be fast-paced and thrilling. It captures the small-town feel—and its scandals. It also contains lovely, lyrical lines that really stand out.