Skeleton Man

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bruchac, Joseph. 2001. SKELETON MAN. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0060290765

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Skeleton Man is about Molly who wakes up one morning to find her parents have disappeared. Social Services steps in and takes her only to release her to a great-uncle that she has never met or heard about. When Molly moves in with her uncle he locks her bedroom door at night. Molly begins having dreams about the Skeleton Man, which comes from and Old Mohawk tale that her father use to tell. These dreams seem to be warning Molly that she is in danger but in order to help herself she must understand what they mean.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this fictional tale, Molly is the heroine and protagonist of the story. Molly’s uncle is the antagonist. Both characters are well developed enough that the readers experiences the emotions that Molly express and the eerie feelings that surround her uncle. Although this is a fictional tale and has a supernatural touch to it is grounded in reality therefore giving the tale an element of probability.
There are several Native American markers that can be found throughout the tale. The first is Molly’s explanation of the Mohawk’s Skeleton Man story told by her father whom she believes is coming true after her parents disappear and she moves in with her uncle. Another marker is when Molly dreams and explains them as “aware dreams,” where she is wearing deerskin and moccasins. Bruchac makes it evident to the readers that Molly has been influenced by Native American teachings when he writes that Molly’s father tells her to “trust your dreams….That’s our old way, our Mohawk way. The way of our ancestors.” (48) and “Something my dad said comes back to me, some of the Mohawk warrior wisdom he was always teaching me. It doesn’t matter if you are the hunted or the hunter. Sometimes the most important thing you can do in a tough situation is to keep quiet, breathe slowly, and think.”
Bruchac gives hints about Molly’s Native American appearance by describing her with thick eyebrows that almost meet in the middle and ink-black hair that grows thick. (30) There are also a few black and white pictures that can be found throughout the tale that portray Molly with dark hair and braided. Although the pictures do not enhance the text, it is nice to see pictures that depict what Molly and the Skeleton man look like.
Skeleton Man is definitely a chilling and suspenseful tale that will keep readers on edge.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Publisher Weekly: "The mix of traditional and contemporary cultural references adds to the haunting appeal, and the quick pace and suspense will likely hold the interest of young readers.”

Kirkus Review: “Bruchac adds believable details, vigorously cranks up the suspense, and pits a deliciously ghastly creature who likes to play with his food against a resourceful young heroine who draws both on courage and cultural tradition to come out on top. A natural for under-the-blanket reading.”

School Library Journal: “In the classic horror tradition, Bruchac offers a timely tale that will make hearts beat and brows sweat, and it has the bonus of a resourceful heroine to put the world right again”.-
5. CONNECTION
Bruchac, Joseph. THE RETURN OF SKELETON MAN. ISBN 9780060580926
Bruchac, Joseph. BEARWALKER. ISBN 9780061123092
Bruchac, Joseph. WABI: A HERO’S TALE. ISBN 9780142409473