Crescent Beach is a small community in British Columbia that in prehistoric times was a First Nations summer village and burial site. McMurchy-Barber is herself an archaeologist who has studied remains and grave goods from a disturbed site in the area and has created this story for young people that beautifully explains the value of preservation of remains and respect for graves. Well written without any overdone clichés that often accompany YA stories. Includes a bibliography ( )

After the death of her father, the 12 year old Peggy moves to her aunt and uncle house in Crescent Beach in BC. She is really sad without her father and mother. One day when she is helping her uncle to dig a pond in the backyard, she finds a human skull!!!

With the help of an archaeologist, Eddy, she learns that the whole city is built on a five thousand year old village. With the help of Eddy, Peggy learns many things about the buried person: He was a storyteller. From then on the story is in two different styles: the story of Peggy and the story of the storyteller and his family.

Reading the Bones is a brilliant story for middle school students who are interested to archaeology and culture of ancient. The author, Gina McMurchy-Barber, is a teacher who has won awards for her work in promoting Canadian history.

Awards: Reading the Bones was nominated for the 2009 Silver Birch Award and the 2009 Langley Book of the Year Award. ( )