by Corliss Jacobs
When I was in elementary school, I would usually spend my recess reading. I quickly found a lot of books I liked more than all the rest, never getting tired of revisiting them. One of these treasures was Doll Bones, by Holly Black, who is the co-author of the Spiderwick Chronicles. I adored it then for its charm, wit… and scariness, of course! But in all the times I have re-read it, it hasn’t made me cry until now. It’s a very special book to me — to many, in fact, seeing as it won a Newberry medal. I want to make sure newer generations don’t miss out on this gem. So allow me to tell you why if you’re going to let your child read a ghost story, Doll Bones should be among your top picks.
Zach, Alice, and Poppy are three kids with difficult lives. Zach’s absent father has returned to try and make it right, even though he doesn’t understand his son at all. Poppy’s parents are too busy at work to pay much attention to her and her many siblings. And Alice lost her parents as a tiny child, leaving her with her strict and overbearing grandmother. But through it all, they have each other, and they continue to stay together while they navigate the strange world of middle school. Their favorite thing to do is play their Game — a continuous, ongoing Game, with characters they have crafted and cultivated since they were small. But when Zach’s father forces him to give up his beloved stories, it looks like the game is about to end… along with their friendship. Then Poppy begins to have dreams about a doll in her cabinet, telling her they must go on one last quest to put the restless spirit inside it to rest. Will the kids be able to make it through their journey? Will their broken bonds be healed? Is there really a ghost in the doll… and will she ever let them rest?
It may not seem so on the surface, but this is a pretty powerful book. It is equal parts Stand By Me and Coraline — brilliant, poignant, and delightfully terrifying. Zach, Alice and Poppy are three kids who are written so well, I feel as if I could meet kids just like them in reality. The message is also a key part of the story — a message about being afraid of growing up, hope, never moving forward — blends surprisingly well with the antics of the frightening ghost girl. When I reached the end of my last reading, I found myself tearing up. It's such a profound, important, and real story - a story of what it means to be human. The culmination of their arcs, stories, and setting to rest both a spirit and their fears is really amazing to read, whether you’re a kid or a grown-up. I would advise you to look through it first, as it deals with some pretty heavy topics, such as bad home lives, the death of parents, and, of course, a spirit who died in a very brutal manner. If you are alright with that, then this is a great book for younger and older kids alike. It’s short and simple enough that it’s a good early chapter book, but mature and clever enough that I still enjoy it at age twenty. I’m giving this a (rather biased) 5/5 stars. I promise you that if you read it, you will understand why. May you and your families go forth on their own quests — but watch out for the angry ghosts along the way!
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