Little Bones

by Sandy Bigna

Published by UQP (University of Queensland Press)
ISBN 9780702268878

First impressions on reading this gentle verse novel for ages 9 - 12 years is the peace and calm in the stories.

The story telling is quite different as it skips through objects found as a child is picking up items along the way and the meanings they have to the person holding it.

Bones, not her real name, but one she likes because as she says, bones are strong they can break and they mend,

The story begins as we read about exoskeletons with interesting information about seahorses, purpose and blue sky dreaming and in tune with nature, finding cicadas and what that means. Connecting with others plays a positive part, friendships and relationships with their families reading through the verses and seeing the line occasional drawings.

Eleven-year-old Bones has drifted away from her friends since her accident and doesn’t want to make new ones so she spends her time drawing animal skeletons and scavenging for dead things to add to her collection.

One night when there's a full moon, Bones unintentionally resurrects the skeleton of a baby bird. But the Bird does not want to be there and wishes to return to his natural, now dead state. Bones tries to reverse the curse but isn't quite sure how to do this. While working this out Bones remembers what it’s like to have a friend which brings on thoughts she doesn't want to lose her friend and let Bird go.

The chapter are a delight, works of linguistic art. This is a tender, well written story about family, exploring grief and friendship for middle grade readers. I would not hesitate to give this book as a gift.

The author

Sandy Bigna is a passionate supporter of local children’s literature. She has studied children’s literature at the University of Canberra and worked as a children’s librarian in a public library. Sandy has been awarded two Varuna Residential Fellowships and her YA manuscript Exposed was shortlisted for the HarperCollins Australia Matilda Children’s Literature Prize in 2020. Little Bones is her debut novel.

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