The Legend of Skeleton Man Skeleton Man and The Return of Skeleton Man

Joseph Bruchac — 2019

This spine-tingling middle grade collection brings together Skeleton Man and The Return of Skeleton Man—two modern classics that will chill you to the bone. R.L. Stine, bestselling author of the Goosebumps series, raved: “This book gave me nightmares!” Molly’s father grew up on the Mohawk Reserve of Akwesasne, where he learned the best scary stories. One of her favorites was the legend of Skeleton Man, a gruesome tale about a man with a deadly, insatiable hunger. But ever since her parents mysteriously vanished, those spooky tales have started to feel all too real. And things go from bad to worse for Molly when a stranger shows up one day and claims to be her great-uncle. A ghostly thin man she’s never seen before. A man who reminds her an awful lot of the Skeleton Man. But he couldn’t possibly be the same person from her father’s tale . . . could he? It’s up to Molly to uncover the truth about this fearsome figure and rescue her parents before it’s too late. This 2-in-1 collection is perfect for fans of R.L. Stine, Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters series, Holly Black’s Doll Bones, and any young reader who loves a good thrill.

Reviews

Katrina White@katrinareads

Nov 17, 2021

Such good stories! They were magical and scary and full of love all at the same time. I love the many different legends that we were taught,they were elegantly weaved throughout the story. I love the main character she was brave and spunky and smart . The skeleton man was creepy and relentless. I love the pride that the family have in their heritage I love how naturally they talk about it and how naturally the parents have passed on knowledge to their daughter. It was interesting how those stories actually helped Molly in escaping or evading or surviving out in harsh conditions. Also strangely enough I liked how the Native American practice of giving thanks and reverence to the moon and the trees and their ancestors actually gives a person who doesn't believe in a traditional God per se a path to spirituality that one might still need. All in all a great story middle grade spooky story!

Rebecca Roper@teaindecember

Nov 10, 2021

Read for Indigathon 2021 I really enjoyed this quick, creepy middle grade read! It was surprisingly unsettling and propulsive even as an adult reader, and I loved how Mohawk folklore and culture was woven into the stories.

Kelsey Holtaway@kelsey

Oct 19, 2021

#fornightfrights “Book by an Indigenous Author” A quick middle grade creepy read (two books) based on the Mohawk tale of the Skeleton Man. For being middle grade these books didn’t pull any punches in the creepiness department, and Molly is a tenacious and clever main character.

Lynn Braden@ftbooklover

Oct 8, 2021

After their ordeal with the Skeleton Man, Molly and her parents decide to take a vacation in the mountains at a conference for the dad's work. Molly is still suffering from the trauma she experienced, but her dreams have been lessening and she is starting to feel better. While she and her family enjoy the time away, they sense that they are being watched. Maybe the Skeleton Man isn't as dead as they thought he was. The Return of the Skeleton Man takes the same ideas from the first book and just moves them to a different location. We still do not get much of the characters' motivations or background, but the story still manages to stir up some very scary situations. Overall, The Return of Skeleton Man presents another short but scary tale.