| The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books |
| The Bulletin Dozen is a monthly theme-based list of titles available only on-line. Since we're awfully fond of bakers here at the Bulletin, we thought we'd adopt their philosophy of generosity and throw in an extra one or two when we have them to offer--so don't expect an even dozen. Please feel free to copy, download, or link to these lists. We ask only that you cite the source. See the archive for lists from previous months. Them Bones: An Osteological Dozen
Between the appropriateness of a spooky Halloween list and our fondness for skeletal yet perky Bulletin mascot Bob, we decided this would be a good month to feature the old organic infrastructure, that is, bones. More flexible than they might appear, bones feature prominently in folktales, fiction, ghost stories, history, forensic science, social science, and paleontology, resulting in a list that should allow just about anybody to happily bone up.
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Still one of the most accessible entry-level texts on the subject, Aliki's title explains, in simple text and appealing cartoons, the history of paleontology and the classification of dinosaur species. (BCCB 1/88)
This biography of the archeologist reputed to be the model for Indiana Jones provides a highly visual, easily readable account of momentous finds in exotic locales. (BCCB 5/00)
Don Brown brings his impeccable biographical style to this treatment of amateur paleontologist Mary Anning, whose nineteenth-century life centered on the fossilized bones she extracted from her local sea cliffs. (BCCB 1/00)
In this archeologically atmospheric mystery, eleven-year-old Alec determines to find the thief who's been taking artifacts from Alec's grandfather's dig. (BCCB 6/93)
Not only does this insightful examination addresses some favorite bony habitats, it also specifically discusses ossuaries and provides pictures of some of the bone art in the legendary Czech ossuary of Kutná Hora. (BCCB 2/98)
In denial about his death, skeletal Aaron Kelly hangs around his house, rocking bonily away in his rocking chair and scaring away his wife's suitor in this ghoulishly funny picture book. (BCCB 10/89)
Giblin explores a fascinating example of early paleontology, describing Charles Willson Peale's 1801 excavation and analysis of strange bones uncovered in New York state. (BCCB 2/99)
This slender, tightly written volume includes insightful color and black-and-white photographs that add immediacy to this account of a mystery solved through bones and the history of the science behind it. (BCCB 4/96)
A genuinely effective yet restrained creepy tale for the younger crowd, Johnston's tale relates the efforts of a ghost to retrieve an errant femur from its world tour and return it to its rightful place in its owner's grave. (BCCB 10/96)
Sinewy free verse provides a folkloric description of "the Bone Woman," who collects scattered bones from the desert and assembles them into living creatures; Karas' earth-toned paintings suggest cave paintings as well as Southwestern art. (BCCB 3/99)
A young boy must deal with the consequences when he awakens the fearsome Bone Man, whom McCurdy's strong-lined, delicately textured woodcuts portray a creepily oversized skeletal villain. (BCCB 12/97)
Cinderella is the most charming of skeletons, with limpid eye sockets and a fetching lock of vestigial red hair, and kids will root for the success of her ghastly romance in this rollicking rhymed takeoff on the classic tale. (BCCB 10/00)
Some amazing internal, microscopic, and computer-enhanced images bring the glory of bones to the fore in this factual treatment by the stalwart science author. (BCCB 9/98)
Wilcox is one of the dead's best chroniclers, and here she examines not only technical and historical aspects of anthropology but also ethical and political controversies thereabout; a concise and accessible format and a generous helping of color photos give bones and mummies their picturesque due. (BCCB 9/00)
This page was last updated on October 1, 2000.
