a wonderfully sad story perfect for grief and loss and explaining and coping with death. ( )

I think this book should qualify as this generation's Bridge to Terabithia. It deals with a weighty subject in a light hearted way that keeps the reader engaged and turning pages til the end. As an adult reader the foreshadowing was slapping you in the face, but I think it’s subtle enough that it will be a surprise to many kids. This would fall in with books like I Kill Giants and A Monster Calls, except instead of a destructive kid, this has a kid who is all heart and just wants his sister to get well, his mom to be happy, and his dad to come back home.

A skeleton has started growing in Stanley’s backyard. His sister and all his friends can see it, but his caretaker Francine can see it. But no other adults can. Stanley really wants a way to make his father notice him and his sister after moving away, and he figures if he wins this big competition with pictures of the skeleton, then his dad would have to come home for sure.

I hate the dad. I hate the dad, who is never there for the entire book. But I love the rest of that cast. Mom tries her best and has such a burden. Sister Miren is so happy and carefree under dire circumstances. Then there is Francine who is like a grandmother indulging the kids, but making them use their heads and their hearts when they need to.

I am completely in love with this book and wish I had not held on to the galley for so long before reading it. I also love the original cover. I hate the new paperback cover.

This book is a big ol’ tear jerker, and worth every tear. Given enough time, and enough exposure I feel this book could become a classic akin to books previously mentioned. So give this book a chance. Why it may make the tears flow, it will leave the reader with a warm and happy feeling of love and friendship.

I think this book should qualify as this generation's Bridge to Terabithia. It deals with a weighty subject in a light hearted way that keeps the reader engaged and turning pages til the end. As an adult reader the foreshadowing was slapping you in the face, but I think it’s subtle enough that it will be a surprise to many kids. This would fall in with books like I Kill Giants and A Monster Calls, except instead of a destructive kid, this has a kid who is all heart and just wants his sister to get well, his mom to be happy, and his dad to come back home.

A skeleton has started growing in Stanley’s backyard. His sister and all his friends can see it, but his caretaker Francine can see it. But no other adults can. Stanley really wants a way to make his father notice him and his sister after moving away, and he figures if he wins this big competition with pictures of the skeleton, then his dad would have to come home for sure.

I hate the dad. I hate the dad, who is never there for the entire book. But I love the rest of that cast. Mom tries her best and has such a burden. Sister Miren is so happy and carefree under dire circumstances. Then there is Francine who is like a grandmother indulging the kids, but making them use their heads and their hearts when they need to.

I am completely in love with this book and wish I had not held on to the galley for so long before reading it. I also love the original cover. I hate the new paperback cover.

This book is a big ol’ tear jerker, and worth every tear. Given enough time, and enough exposure I feel this book could become a classic akin to books previously mentioned. So give this book a chance. Why it may make the tears flow, it will leave the reader with a warm and happy feeling of love and friendship.

#mountTBR
#Booked2020
#PopSugar
#ReadwithMrBook
#Beatthebacklist
#LMPBC ( )

SKELETON TREE has been on my radar for a long time. I finally bought it when I knew author Kim Ventrella was visiting our school. This book turned out even better than I thought. The pacing of the events is perfect to keep the reader interested, mystified, and pulled in. With such a tough life-event at the center of the characters' lives, the skeleton, nick-named Princy by little sister Mirem, brings happiness, mystery, and fun when she is very ill. I highly recommend this book for grades three and up. It is a must-have for school and classroom libraries. Below is the synopsis from amazon.com.

Twelve-year-old Stanly knows the bone growing in his yard is a little weird, but that's okay because now he'll have the perfect photo to submit to the Young Discoverer's Competition. With such a unique find, he's sure to win the grand prize.

But, oddly, the bone doesn't appear in any photos. Even stranger, it seems to be growing into a full skeleton . . . one that only children can see.

There's just one person who doesn't find any of this weird--Stanly's little sister. Mischievous Miren adopts the skeleton as a friend, and soon, the two become inseparable playmates.

When Miren starts to grow sick, Stanly suspects that the skeleton is responsible and does everything in his power to drive the creature away. However, Miren is desperate not to lose her friend, forcing Stanly to question everything he's ever believed about life, love, and the mysterious forces that connect us. ( )

I received an ARC from ALA Annual.

This was a very sweet, poignant story about death and dying, about the love of siblings and about the strength of a family. I'm very impressed with Ms. Ventrella, because this is her debut novel. I think she handled the heavy themes in this novel with a subtle, gentle hand. Her characters all seem very real and relatable. Although I knew what was going to happen very early on, the ending still made me tear up. I think this is a great contribution to children's fiction. Children don't need to be handled with kid gloves when it comes to the subject of death, but this novel isn't too heavy or depressing in any way. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone, and I look forward to Ms. Ventrella's future books. ( )