The Return of Skeleton Man

August 1, 2006
Gr 4-8 -Molly and her parents are still trying to find a sense of normalcy after the events of Bruchac -s heart-pounding "Skeleton Man" (HarperCollins, 2001). Here, they -re off on a vacation to the Mohonk Mountain House in the Hudson Valley. Skeleton Man is presumed dead, but, as the family settles in, Molly starts seeing small signs that perhaps he -s still pursuing them. As in the first book, the preteen protagonist tells her story in the first-person present, a device that keeps the narrative moving but is awkward in passages in which she provides extended backstory or attempts to analyze her feelings in real time. The book relies on a sense of menace that -s never fully realized. Molly -s fears are vague until Skeleton Man makes his appearance three quarters of the way through the book, and then he proves surprisingly easy to defeat. Even so, this engaging and fast-paced sequel to a modern horror classic will be in demand." -Adrienne Furness, Webster Public Library, NY"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2006
Even readers unfamiliar with the popular horror story " Skeleton Man" (2001) will have no problem understanding this sequel. Molly, the contemporary Mohawk protagonist of the earlier book, is haunted by her memories of what happened when the skeleton monster kidnapped her and her parents. Now the teenager is at a huge, fancy lodge in upper New York State, where her father is attending a business conference, and Skeleton Man is after them again, in the dark corridors and along the trails. Molly narrates the story, which blends Mohawk tradition and legend with contemporary details ("Indian telepathy is O.K," but Molly also needs her cell phone and drives a bulldozer) as it follows Molly's struggle to rout the monster yet again.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2007
The psychopathic kidnapper known as Skeleton Man reappears in this fast-paced sequel, along with his victims, Molly and her parents. He follows them to an isolated mountain resort, and this time he has murderous revenge on his mind. Though the villain is flat and the plot includes a lot of filler, Bruchac adds atmosphere with details from Native American and Mayan folklore.

(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)