GIVE ME BACK MY BONES!
by Kim Norman
Illustrated by Bob Kolar
Candlewick Press
Picture Book
40 pages
ages 4 to 8
A stormy night at sea has uncovered some long-buried secrets and surprises. Is that the mast of a shipwreck? A faded pirate hat? And what’s that hiding in the sand? A mandible and a clavicle, phalanges and femurs, a tibia and a fibula — could there be a set of bones scattered across the ocean floor? And who might they belong to? A jaunty rhyme takes readers on an underwater scavenger hunt as a comical skeleton tries to put itself back together piece by piece. Make no bones about it: this rollicking read-aloud will have young ones learning anatomy without even realizing it.
MY TIDBITS
Shiver-me-timbers takes a skeletal twist with silly rhymes and a bit of anatomy, too.
Deep under the ocean's surface is a shipwreck from long ago. There, the bones of a pirate are strewn across the ocean floor, but this pirate would love to get everything back together. With the help of all sorts of sea creatures, he starts at the top and works his way down as the fish help to find his bones and put him back together.
With a slightly eerie twist, these pages carry tons of silly rhymes as this skeleton tries to get back together again. Each page holds a four-lined rhyme, which weaves fun phrases connecting with pirate life to describe the bone he's looking for. These carry a bit of silliness and almost feel like tongue-twisters, which creates great fun when reading this one aloud. For example: 'my wavy-ahoy-to-land bones'. The last phrase in each set always carries the specific name for the bone to teach readers the terms along the way.
The illustrations carry a dark-bluish hint to keep the deep-underwater atmosphere going the entire way through. The fish and sea creatures come to life with brighter colors and cheerful expressions. They swim around with glee to keep things exciting as they search. The skeleton's bones are recognizable while still carrying a whimsical direction so as not to let the tale get too dark. Listeners can search for the bones with the fish, although these aren't very well hidden...but it's still fun.
The text fits the age group nicely and will have listeners smiling ear to ear. Some of the phrases might go above some listeners' heads, at first, but with each read-through, it's easier to pick out the meanings. This also makes it fun to revisit, since listeners are sure to pay attention to the phrases differently each time.
It's a cute read with a touch of spooky fun, and the facts surrounding anatomy along add a very clever twist.
And here they are...
Kim Norman is an artist, actress, and singer as well as the author of children’s books such as Puddle Pug and The Bot That Scott Built. Give Me Back My Bones! is her first book with Candlewick Press. She lives in Virginia.
Bob Kolar is the author-illustrator of many books, including Big Kicks. He is also the illustrator of Nothing Like a Puffin by Sue Soltis, the AlphaOops books by Alethea Kontis, and Slickety Quick: Poems about Sharks by Skila Brown. Bob Kolar lives in Missouri.
Bob Kolar is the author-illustrator of many books, including Big Kicks. He is also the illustrator of Nothing Like a Puffin by Sue Soltis, the AlphaOops books by Alethea Kontis, and Slickety Quick: Poems about Sharks by Skila Brown. Bob Kolar lives in Missouri.
