If you have not read Jeff Smith鈥檚 Bone series, you really need to do so. What you will discover is a masterpiece of comic storytelling appropriate for readers of all ages. 鈥淏one鈥� (Scholastic) tells the story of three cousins: Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone, who venture out of Boneville and end up in a strange new valley and an epic adventure.
Along with the young Thorn and her Gran鈥檓a Ben they encounter rat creatures, dragons, hooded warriors, a giant mountain lion, friendly forest animals, and Ted the bug. Smith masterfully juggles this 鈥�Lord of the Rings鈥�-style saga with many laugh-out-loud moments. The Bone cousins are great, endearing characters equal to some of Disney鈥榮 best.
In 2010, there were two new additions to the epic. The "Bone Handbook" is a goody bag full of all things Bone, including a rundown of the characters and story, interviews with Smith and Hamaker, comics, fun facts, and even some recipes. Just released this summer is "Bone Tall Tales." This pulls together some other short stories mostly centered on Daniel Boone-type ancestor "Big Johnson Bone."
Then for readers who can鈥檛 get enough of Gran鈥檓a Ben, there鈥檚 also "Rose," the story of Gran鈥檓a Ben when she was a young princess. 鈥淩ose鈥� makes a great prologue to the main saga, despite the absence of the Bone cousins.
