Module 9: Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man

Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man by Wendelin Van Draanen
published in 1998 by Alfred A. Knopf Inc. (New York, NY).

Summary

It's Halloween and Sammy Keyes is out trick-or-treating with her two friends.  They decide to go to the Bush House because it's creepy, ring the door bell, and run.  But that doesn't happen.  As they are walking up the path they see a man dressed in a skeleton costume running out of the house with a huge bag.  Sammy soon finds a fire starting in the hallway, and the infamous Bush Man tied to a chair and unconscious.  Sammy, of course can't stop thinking about the incident and tries to figure out who the Bush Man is, what was stolen, and why.  She also has to figure out who is spreading rumors about her at school and how she can get revenge.  

Impressions

Sammy Keyes is a fun read.  Sammy Keyes has a fun personality and is quite witty.  Readers can't help but root for her and her friends as she solves mysteries and gets into trouble.  Teens can relate to her problems because she faces teasing at school, the challenge of actually doing homework, and paying attention in class.  Fun characters, and a fun mystery.  

Reviews

"Van Drannen's tone is light, but well-developed characters and Sammy's somewhat unconventional lifestyle (she resides illegally with her grandmother in a senior citizens' complex while her mother 'finds' herself in Hollywood) make this a worthy choice for mystery buffs, especially fans of Betsy Byars' Herculeah Jones series."  --Kay Weisman. (1998). Booklist. Retrieved from Bowker's Books in Print Professional database. 

"Artfully throwing in clues, red herrings, and well-timed revelations, Van Draanen keeps her heroine on the hop, surrounding her with typecast age mates but distinctly drawn, individual adults, most of whom were introduced in the previous book.  Sammy is as resourceful and tough as ever, and the breathless pace of this adventure will rivet readers from page one." (1998). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from Bowker's Books in Print Professional database.

Uses

In the library, Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man would be a great book to read for a teen or tween book club in October.  The book discussion could cover the topics of mysteries in general, the clues Van Draanen reveals, and how the mystery ends.  There could be a matching game where the teens try to match pictures of first edition books to their worth today.  And, of course, the there would be a costume contest.