Continuing the story from where Moby Dick left off, this compelling boyhood adventure, penned by beloved author Jane Yolen (Owl Moon), hearkens to timeless coming of age tales of yore. Lovingly illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, the journey of a boy and his dog comes to life on the page, renewing the joy of a classic tale.
ARCH OF BONE
by Jane Yolen
illustrated by Ruth Sanderson
Tachyon, November 2021
(via JABberwocky)
When a rough sailor called Ishmael turns up on a family’s doorstep, even loyal dog Zeke knows that the news is ruinous. Ishmael comes bearing the tragic tale of the Pequod: the whaling ship that fourteen-year-old Josiah’s father served on as first mate. Ishmael presents himself as the sole survivor of the deadly journey, fatally lead by the vengeful Captain Ahab and his obsession with the legendary white whale, Moby Dick. But Josiah is not so certain his father’s death was that simple. Especially when Ishmael looks so boldly at Josiah’s devout Quaker mother. Josiah is almost of age in Nantucket, and he still cherishes his dream of following in his father’s footsteps. He is yet too young to sign on to a ship’s crew, but he yearns to be at sea. Yet adventure has a way of finding a boy and his dog. The true vision of his father’s death―as well as the difficult tasks of surviving, growing up, and finding his strength―await Josiah, when he and Zeke discover the secrets of the Pequod at the mysterious Arch of Bone.
Beloved fantasist Jane Yolen has been rightfully called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop of the twentieth century. She has over 370 publications to her credit, including adult, young adult, middle grade, and children’s fiction; graphic novels, nonfiction, fantasy, science fiction, poetry, short-story collections, anthologies, novels, novellas, and books about writing. Yolen is also a teacher of writing and a book reviewer. Her best-known books include Owl Moon, the How Do Dinosaurs series, The Devil’s Arithmetic, Briar Rose, Sister Emily’s Lightship, and Sister Light, Sister Dark. Among Yolen’s many awards and honors are the Caldecott and Christopher medals; the Nebula, Mythopoeic, World Fantasy, Golden Kite, and Jewish Book awards; the World Fantasy Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America Grand Master Award, and the Science Fiction Poetry Grand Master Award. Six colleges and universities have given her honorary doctorates. Yolen lives in Western Massachusetts most of the time, but spends long summers in St. Andrews, Scotland.
Born in the small town of Monson, Massachusetts, Ruth Sanderson has been a professional illustrator since 1975, with over eighty published children’s books, in addition to illustrated book covers, fantasy art, collector’s plates, animation concept art, and product design. Her illustrations projects include a famous edition of Heidi with one hundred full-color oil paintings, as well as editions of The Secret Garden, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and many more. Sanderson teaches writing and illustrating for children in a summer graduate program at Hollins University, in Roanoke, Virginia, and is a longtime member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Lydia Chass doesn’t mind living in a small town; she just doesn’t want to die in one. A lifetime of hard work has put her on track to attend a prestigious journalism program and leave Henley behind until a school error leaves her a credit short of graduating. Undeterred, Lydia has a plan to earn that credit: transform her listener friendly local history podcast into a hard hitting, truth telling expose. She’ll investigate the Long Stretch of Bad Days a week when Henley was hit by a tornado, a flash food, as well as its first and only murder, which remains unsolved. But Lydia needs help to bring grit to the show. Bristal Jamison has a bad reputation and a foul mouth, but she also needs a credit to graduate. The unexpected partnership brings together the Chass family name a pillar in the community and the rough and tumble Jamison’s, of whom Bristal hopes to be the first to graduate. Together, they dig into the town’s worst week, determined to solve the murder. Their investigation unearths buried secrets;a hidden brothel, lost family treasure, and a teen girl that disappeared. But the past is never far, and some don’t want it to see the light. As threats escalate, the girls have to uncover the truth before the dark history of Henley catches up with them.
Lois Lowry transports readers to an Iron Age world through the suspenseful dual narrative of a boy and girl both battling to survive. In an utterly one of a kind blend of fiction and history, a master storyteller explores the mystery and life of the 2,000 year old Windeby bog body. Estrild is not like the other girls in her village; she wants to be a warrior. Varick, the orphan boy who helps her train in spite of his twisted back, also stands apart. In a world where differences are poorly tolerated, just how much danger are they in? Inspired by the true discovery of the 2,000 year old Windeby bog body in Northern Germany, Newbery Medalist and master storyteller Lois Lowry transports readers to an Iron age world as she breathes life back into the Windeby child, left in the bog to drown with a woolen blindfold over its eyes. This suspenseful exploration of lives that might have been by a gifted, intellectually curious author is utterly one of a kind. Includes several arresting photos of archeological finds, including of the Windeby child.
It’s Christmas and the Miller family is celebrating their first holiday with the new baby. Uncle Jake is visiting which makes Billy very happy. But Sal? Not so much. In fact, nothing about this holiday is making Sal happy. The baby is a noisy nuisance and is hogging all of Mama’s attention. Plus, the baby doesn’t even have a name yet. And to make matters worse, Sal has lost her favorite pair of brand new underpants one of the very special set of seven Santa gave her for Christmas! Will Sal find her present? Will the Millers find a name for the baby? Will Billy always be an obnoxious big brother? Will Uncle Jake constantly put his foot in his mouth? The holiday season is full of surprises and warmth, kindness, family, celebration, and love in the hands of award winning house author Kevin Henkes . Oh, Sal is an excellent choice for younger middle grade readers, as well as a terrific family and classroom read aloud. Illustrated throughout with black and white art by the author.