In Bone Hollow, death is only the beginning…
In retrospect, it was foolish to save that chicken. On the roof. In the middle of a thunderstorm. But what choice did Gabe have? If he hadn’t tried to rescue Ms. Cleo’s precious pet, she would’ve kicked him out. And while Ms. Cleo isn’t a perfect guardian, her house is the only home Gabe knows. After falling off the roof, Gabe wakes up in a room full of tearful neighbors. To his confusion, none of them seem to hear Gabe speak. It’s almost as if they think he’s dead. But Gabe’s not dead. He feels fine! So why do they insist on holding a funeral? And why does everyone scream in terror when Gabe shows up for his own candlelight vigil?
Scared and bewildered, Gabe flees with his dog, Ollie, the only creature who doesn’t tremble at the sight of him. When a mysterious girl named Wynne offers to let Gabe stay at her cozy house in a misty clearing, he gratefully accepts. Yet Wynne disappears from Bone Hollow for long stretches of time, and when a suspicious Gabe follows her, he makes a mind-blowing discovery. Wynne is Death and has been for over a century. Even more shocking . . . she’s convinced that Gabe is destined to replace her.
Skeleton Tree author Kim Ventrella returns with the wisest, funniest, and most profound middle grade adventure you’ll read in this lifetime…or the next.
Praise for Bone Hollow
A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids 2019
⭐ “Set in the rural South, the syrup-soaked, rich imagery is a sensory delight. Gabe’s voice is distinct, and the evolution of his conflict reinforces the humanity amid the magic. A heck of a good read about the bright side of some durn bad luck.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review
🕯️ “…a quiet, insightful book…Ventrella fearlessly tackles the sensitive subject of death for a middle grade audience.” –Booklist
Order Your Copy
Order your copy today from the retailer of your choice. When you order from Bookshop.org, a portion of your money goes to support me and independent bookstores everywhere. For signed copies, order from my local indie, Best of Books. Make sure to put “signed copy” in the Order Comments section.
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Listen to an Audiobook Sample
The audio edition is narrated by Katie Beudert. It’s available in the U.K. from Bolinda.
Book Clubs
Is your class or school book club reading Bone Hollow? If so, I would love to join you for a 30-minute book club chat. If you’re interested, fill out the form below. And don’t forget to download the Book Club Guide.
🕯️ Check out my interview on the Spooky Middle Grade blog about the release of Bone Hollow.
🕯️ Check out my interview on MG Book Village about Bone Hollow.
🕯️ Read my interview in the Oklahoma Gazette entitled “Processing Death.”
🕯️ Listen to my interview from April 2019 on the Reading With Your Kids podcast.
Kim Ventrella 