The Bone Talker

Sylvia Pantaleo is an assistant professor of education specializing in
children’s literature at Queen’s University and the co-author of
Learning with Literature in the Canadian Elementary Classroom.

Grandmother Bones is melancholy. She has wound down like a clock, and
the tick and tock of her youth are gone. She talks to her creaking bones
and asks them to give her some peace. Her husband tries to help her
overcome her gloominess, but he is unsuccessful. The neighbors in the
village bring Grandmother Bones food and gifts and play music to
brighten her spirit, but their efforts are to no avail.

Soon the villagers realize that what Grandmother Bones needs is
something to care about. An ingenuous child suggests the right activity,
and Grandmother Bones begins to sew a quilt. News of her creation
spreads, and people from all over the land bring patches for her to
include in the quilt. Eventually the quilt becomes the pattern of
prairie life itself.

This captivating tale demonstrates the effect of small gestures and
communicates the importance of the elderly’s remaining active. On
several pages, Slavin uses small-framed illustrations under the text to
extend the story. The facial expressions of the characters in his
realistic illustrations are especially effective. The muted colors of
the illustrations reflect the despondency of Grandmother Bones. Highly
recommended.