The Bone Garden by Heather Kassner, Matt Saunders
Published by Henry Holt & Company on August 6th 2019
ISBN: 1250296897
Pages: 272
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The Bone Garden

Irreelle is a girl who is controlled by Miss Vesper and believes that her life could be ended at Miss Vesper’s whim.  She is often sent to gather bone dust and is chastised when she is not quick enough.  But when Irreelle meets a boy she names Guy and a girl named Lass, her life changes for the better as she finally has friends that she will risk her life for, as they will for her.

Miss Vesper had been overwhelmingly in love with someone with the initials N.M.H. and Irreelle and her friends set out to find his grave.  But they learn that he was never buried in a grave and his bones are near a tree that was extremely significant to him and Miss Vesper.  In the end their bones are joined together in a final death, which had always been their wish.

Miss Vesper had been very cruel to all three of the children and it was difficult to feel sympathy towards her quest to find her lost love.  None of the three children cared what the others looked like and their friendship was based on kindness and courage.

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland