Book Review: 'The Bones of Fred McFee' by Eve Bunting

✰✰✰✰½ The creepy fun begins when a brother and sister bring home a plastic skeleton from the harvest fair. High up in a sycamore tree, the skeleton dances with glee. The plastic bones of Fred McFee click and clack in the wind. Once Halloween is over, the bones will be put away until next year, but where are they? The children search and search; there’s nothing to be found but a grave beneath the tree. What could have happened? Where did Fred McFee go? He’s gone! Or is he? Check out this spooktactular tale for a frightfully good scare.

The Bottom Line: This is a spooky tale for kids ages 5 - 8. The rhythmic story is great for reading aloud, and the colorful  illustrations in scratchboard and watercolor add to the creepy fun. Highly recommended Halloween reading, but keep your little ones close because this tale might be a bit scary for some tiny tots.

Details: The Bones of Fred McFee written by Eve Bunting & illustrated by Kurt Cyrus. Picture book published by Harcourt Children’s Books in 2002. 32 p. ISBN: 0-15-202004-7