Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man
by Wendelin Van Draanen
Every summer I usually get so
caught up with discovering and reading new middle grade fiction in preparation
for September’s Mock Newbery Club launch, that I have little time to read
anything else. This summer I’m
trying to be different. Sure, I’m
still reading every wonderful new book I can get my hands on, but since my
recent foray into the Series of
Unfortunate Events novels, I’m taking another look at some of the “golden
oldies” that I may have missed out on when I as busty raising my own three
boys. As I wrote about earlier, I
remember my children being excited every time a new Series of Unfortunate Events book was released. But I never had a
chance to read any of the books, there were not too many free moments between
taking care of the boys, going back to school, studying, and working various
part time jobs. Reading anything
for fun was a luxury. What I did
make time for was reading out loud to the boys. This is something I will forever be grateful that I did, as
I do believe it helped to foster their love of reading and helped them to
become the successful young men they are today.
The Sammy Keyes series is another group of books that I remember seeing
in the library when the boys were little.
I think one or more of the boys may have even read a few of the
books. I’m embarrassed now to
admit that another reason I may not have picked up the books back then was
because of the covers. I don’t like scary books (can’t sleep at night if I read
them), so seeing skeletons and mummies on the front cover of a book just might
have scared me off. Happily, I
rediscovered Sammy Keyes about a year ago when I was searching for engaging
mysteries for the sixth graders I teach. After reading the first book in the
series, Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief,
I immediately fell under Sammy’s spell.
Sammy
Keyes and the Skeleton Man is the second book in the series. While you do not need to have read the
first book to read this one, the main characters are all there with a few
interesting additions such as the Bush Man, Skeleton Man and a new friend for
Sammy, Dot. It doesn’t take long
for Sammy to become embroiled in another mystery when she and her friends
discover that the neighborhood recluse has been robbed on Halloween. After calling the police for help,
Officer Borsch warned Sammy to “stay out of it”, but in true Sammy-style she
just can’t help getting involved. Meanwhile, Sammy’s nemesis, Heather, has a
whole new devious plan to take down Sammy and make her the laughingstock of the
school. Heather just might get
away with it if Sammy can’t prove to others what Heather’s up to.
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