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Arch of Bone
Jane Yolen
“Jane Yolen is a phenomenon: a poet and a mythmaker.” —Neil Gaiman
When a rough sailor called Ishmael turns up on a family’s doorstep, even loyal dog Zeke knows that the news is ruinous. Continuing the story from where Moby Dick left off, this compelling boyhood adventure, penned by beloved author Jane Yolen (Owl Moon), hearkens to timeless coming of age tales of yore. Lovingly illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, the journey of a boy and his dog comes to life on the page, renewing the joy of a classic tale.
Continuing the story from where Moby-Dick leaves off, this compelling boyhood adventure, penned by beloved author Jane Yolen (Owl Moon), hearkens to timeless coming-of-age tales of yore. Masterfully illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, the journey of a boy and his dog comes to life on the page.
“This is the story Melville should have written.” —Daniel Pinkwater, author of The Neddiad
Fourteen-year-old Josiah Starbuck dreams of joining the crew of a whaling ship someday, just like his father and his grandfather had. But Josiah’s world turns upside-down when a ragged sailor arrives on his doorstep.
The sailor is called Ishmael, and he has terrible news: Josiah’s father, the first mate of the Pequod, is dead, along with the rest of the crew. Ishmael claims they were led to their doom by the mad Captain Ahab and Ahab’s hunt for the legendary white whale Moby-Dick. But Josiah is not so certain his father’s death was that simple. Why did only Ishmael survive the shipwreck of the Pequod?
Grief-stricken, Josiah sets sail with his dog, Zeke, in order to find the truth of his father’s death. Can he and Zeke discover the secrets of the Pequod at the mysterious Arch of Bone?
AForeword Book of the Day
“Yolen’s original twist on Moby-Dick combines a unique premise with edge-of-your-seat adventure. Fourteen-year-old Josiah is engagingly characterized from the outset as a boy on the edge of manhood, searching for answers about his father’s death. Under the arch of bone he has tantalizing dreams of Ahab’s hunt for Moby Dick. A gripping tale by a master storyteller—when I finished it, I started over and read it again.”
—Katherine Coville, author of Ivy and Briar and Rose and Jack
“This is the story Melville should have written.”
—Daniel Pinkwater, author of The Neddiad
“Elemental and timeless. The thrill of Josiah’s adventure comes from watching him learn how to survive the wilderness, but it also has much to share about coming to terms with the loss of a parent and humans’ complicated relationship to the natural world.” —Eliot Schrefer, National Book Award Finalist
“Arch of Bone is a historical novel that reanimates Nantucket’s whaling history. In it, the aftermath of the Pequod’s sinking is imagined on behalf of the families of those lost at sea. The result is a daring story in which a grieving son becomes his own kind of survivor.”
—Foreword
Beloved fantasy author Jane Yolen has been writing and publishing since the early sixties, when she sold her first book (about women pirates) on her twenty-second birthday. But she began her publishing career as a journalist (short-lived) and as an editor (longer-lived) for Knopf and Harcourt in the children’s department.
She is a graduate of Smith College in Northampton, MA, with an Med (master of education) from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She has six honorary doctorates for her body of work: Smith College, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Keene State College, College of Our Lady of the Elms, Westfield State University, and Bay Path College.
She was the first Western Massachusetts author to win a Public Radio’s Arts & Entertainment Award, and the first woman to give the Andrew Lang lecture at St. Andrews University in Scotland in a series that began in 1927. She has won awards from both the Jewish Book Council and the Catholic Book Council, making her very ecumenical.
Jane was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America for two years, and on the board of the Society of Children’s Book Writers for forty-five years.
Her books and stories have won three World Fantasy Awards, two Nebulas, three Mythopoeic Awards, two Christopher Medals, three SCBWI awards, the Massachusetts Book Center award, two Golden Kite awards, and a Caldecott Medal. She was nominated in 2020 for the Astrid Lindgren Award, plus many others. Her award from the Boston Science Fiction Association set her good coat on fire which she takes as a lesson about the dangers of awards.
Yolen lives in Western Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.
About the Illustrator:
Born in the small town of Monson, Massachusetts, Ruth Sanderson has been a professional illustrator since 1975, with over eighty published children’s books, in addition to illustrated book covers, fantasy art, collector’s plates, animation concept art, and product design. Her illustrations credits include a famous edition of Heidi with one hundred full-color oil paintings, as well as editions of The Secret Garden, The Sleeping Beauty, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and many more. Sanderson teaches writing and illustrating for children in a summer graduate program at Hollins University, in Roanoke, Virginia. She is a longtime member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Western Massachusetts Illustrator’s Guild. She last collaborated with Jane Yolen in 2000, illustrating Where Have The Unicorns Gone? (Simon & Schuster). Find more about her and her work at goldenwoodstudio.com.
Praise for Jane Yolen
“The Hans Christian Andersen of America”
—Newsweek
“The Aesop of the twentieth century”
—The New York Times
“Jane Yolen is a gem in the diadem of science fiction and fantasy.”
—Analog
“One of the treasures of the science fiction community.”
—Brandon Sanderson, author of Mistborn
“Yolen is often dubbed “the Hans Christian Andersen of America,” but that should not be misunderstood. Her work is not Andersen Americanized: sanitized, watered-down, Disney-fied. It is true to the real tradition of Andersen: mesmerizing, haunting, and often not for the faint of heart.”
—Washington Independent Review of Books
“There is simply no better storyteller working in the fantasy field today. She’s a national treasure.”
—Terri Windling, author of The Wood Wife
Praise for the Jane Yolen Classic Fantasy collections
“With over 350 books, Jane Yolen is a legend in the world of children’s and young-adult literature, but her acerbic and witty adult fiction and poetry offer their own pleasures. ”
—Chicago Tribune
“An invaluable reminder of Yolen’s central role in contemporary fantasy, and perhaps an equally invaluable starting point for readers.”
—Locus on The Emerald Circus and How to Fracture a Fairy Tale
Praise for The Midnight Circus
“Jane Yolen is, simply, a legend. The powerful fairy godmother of every writer working in mythic fantasy today.”
—Catherynne M. Valente, author of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
“Jane Yolen’s stories are pure magic! They draw you in, beguile your senses, and paint the world in richer hues than you’ve ever seen. Her tales will haunt you in the very best way. I loved every word!”
—Sarah Beth Durst, author of Race the Sands
“Look this way, look that; blazing her consummate imagination against the shadows of human sorrow, Jane Yolen has done it again.”
—Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked and A Wild Winter Swan
“Essential reading for all fans of Yolen’s work, especially those who are less familiar with the darker side of her imagination.”
—The Fantasy Hive
“The Midnight Circus sings with magic, darkness, and wonder–perfect for anyone who has ever loved a fairy tale.”
—Meagan Spooner, author of the Starbound Trilogy
“Haunting stories from a modern master.”
—Kirkus
Praise for The Emerald Circus
[STARRED REVIEW] “These delightful retellings of favorite stories will captivate newcomers and fans of Yolen as she once again delivers the magic, humor, and lovely prose that has attracted readers for years.”
—Library Journal
[STARRED REVIEW] “These highly entertaining retellings are perfect for teens fans of fairy tales and classic literature, though they are easily enjoyed without any background knowledge.”
—School Library Journal
“From Snow Queen to spaceship, The Emerald Circus is a delight.”
—Patricia A. McKillip, author of the Riddle-Master trilogy and Wonders of the Invisible World
“Jane Yolen facets her glittering stories with the craft of a master jeweller. Everything she writes, including The Emerald Circus, is original and timeless, deliciously creepy and disturbingly lovely.”
—Elizabeth Wein, author of Code Name Verity
Praise for How to Fracture a Fairy Tale
“With a glowing introduction by author Marissa Meyer, and an afterword with an author’s note and poem for each story, this showcase of 28 tales highlights Yolen’s delightful imagination and elegant writing.”
—Library Journal
“This collection is Jane Yolen at her best.”
—Patricia C. Wrede, author of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles
“A master storyteller at her best. I’ve been a fan of Jane Yolen and fractured fairytales for years and this collection doesn’t disappoint.”
—Chanda Hahn, bestselling author of Reign
Arch of Bone
Jane Yolen
“Jane Yolen is a phenomenon: a poet and a mythmaker.”
—Neil Gaiman
When a rough sailor called Ishmael turns up on a family’s doorstep, even loyal dog Zeke knows that the news is ruinous. Continuing the story from where Moby Dick left off, this compelling boyhood adventure, penned by beloved author Jane Yolen (Owl Moon), hearkens to timeless coming of age tales of yore. Lovingly illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, the journey of a boy and his dog comes to life on the page, renewing the joy of a classic tale.
Arch of Bone
by Jane Yolen
ISBN: Hardcover: 978-1-61696-350-7; Digital: 978-1-61696-351-4
Published: November 2021
Available Format(s): Hardcover and Digital
Continuing the story from where Moby-Dick leaves off, this compelling boyhood adventure, penned by beloved author Jane Yolen (Owl Moon), hearkens to timeless coming-of-age tales of yore. Masterfully illustrated by Ruth Sanderson, the journey of a boy and his dog comes to life on the page.
“This is the story Melville should have written.”
—Daniel Pinkwater, author of The Neddiad
Fourteen-year-old Josiah Starbuck dreams of joining the crew of a whaling ship someday, just like his father and his grandfather had. But Josiah’s world turns upside-down when a ragged sailor arrives on his doorstep.
The sailor is called Ishmael, and he has terrible news: Josiah’s father, the first mate of the Pequod, is dead, along with the rest of the crew. Ishmael claims they were led to their doom by the mad Captain Ahab and Ahab’s hunt for the legendary white whale Moby-Dick. But Josiah is not so certain his father’s death was that simple. Why did only Ishmael survive the shipwreck of the Pequod?
Grief-stricken, Josiah sets sail with his dog, Zeke, in order to find the truth of his father’s death. Can he and Zeke discover the secrets of the Pequod at the mysterious Arch of Bone?
A Foreword Book of the Day
“Yolen’s original twist on Moby-Dick combines a unique premise with edge-of-your-seat adventure. Fourteen-year-old Josiah is engagingly characterized from the outset as a boy on the edge of manhood, searching for answers about his father’s death. Under the arch of bone he has tantalizing dreams of Ahab’s hunt for Moby Dick. A gripping tale by a master storyteller—when I finished it, I started over and read it again.”
—Katherine Coville, author of Ivy and Briar and Rose and Jack
“This is the story Melville should have written.”
—Daniel Pinkwater, author of The Neddiad
“Elemental and timeless. The thrill of Josiah’s adventure comes from watching him learn how to survive the wilderness, but it also has much to share about coming to terms with the loss of a parent and humans’ complicated relationship to the natural world.”
—Eliot Schrefer, National Book Award Finalist
“Arch of Bone is a historical novel that reanimates Nantucket’s whaling history. In it, the aftermath of the Pequod’s sinking is imagined on behalf of the families of those lost at sea. The result is a daring story in which a grieving son becomes his own kind of survivor.”
—Foreword
Beloved fantasy author Jane Yolen has been writing and publishing since the early sixties, when she sold her first book (about women pirates) on her twenty-second birthday. But she began her publishing career as a journalist (short-lived) and as an editor (longer-lived) for Knopf and Harcourt in the children’s department.
She is a graduate of Smith College in Northampton, MA, with an Med (master of education) from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She has six honorary doctorates for her body of work: Smith College, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Keene State College, College of Our Lady of the Elms, Westfield State University, and Bay Path College.
She was the first Western Massachusetts author to win a Public Radio’s Arts & Entertainment Award, and the first woman to give the Andrew Lang lecture at St. Andrews University in Scotland in a series that began in 1927. She has won awards from both the Jewish Book Council and the Catholic Book Council, making her very ecumenical.
Jane was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America for two years, and on the board of the Society of Children’s Book Writers for forty-five years.
Her books and stories have won three World Fantasy Awards, two Nebulas, three Mythopoeic Awards, two Christopher Medals, three SCBWI awards, the Massachusetts Book Center award, two Golden Kite awards, and a Caldecott Medal. She was nominated in 2020 for the Astrid Lindgren Award, plus many others. Her award from the Boston Science Fiction Association set her good coat on fire which she takes as a lesson about the dangers of awards.
Yolen lives in Western Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.
About the Illustrator:
Born in the small town of Monson, Massachusetts, Ruth Sanderson has been a professional illustrator since 1975, with over eighty published children’s books, in addition to illustrated book covers, fantasy art, collector’s plates, animation concept art, and product design. Her illustrations credits include a famous edition of Heidi with one hundred full-color oil paintings, as well as editions of The Secret Garden, The Sleeping Beauty, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and many more. Sanderson teaches writing and illustrating for children in a summer graduate program at Hollins University, in Roanoke, Virginia. She is a longtime member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Western Massachusetts Illustrator’s Guild. She last collaborated with Jane Yolen in 2000, illustrating Where Have The Unicorns Gone? (Simon & Schuster). Find more about her and her work at goldenwoodstudio.com.
Praise for Jane Yolen
“The Hans Christian Andersen of America”
—Newsweek
“The Aesop of the twentieth century”
—The New York Times
“Jane Yolen is a gem in the diadem of science fiction and fantasy.”
—Analog
“One of the treasures of the science fiction community.”
—Brandon Sanderson, author of Mistborn
“Yolen is often dubbed “the Hans Christian Andersen of America,” but that should not be misunderstood. Her work is not Andersen Americanized: sanitized, watered-down, Disney-fied. It is true to the real tradition of Andersen: mesmerizing, haunting, and often not for the faint of heart.”
—Washington Independent Review of Books
“There is simply no better storyteller working in the fantasy field today. She’s a national treasure.”
—Terri Windling, author of The Wood Wife
Praise for the Jane Yolen Classic Fantasy collections
“With over 350 books, Jane Yolen is a legend in the world of children’s and young-adult literature, but her acerbic and witty adult fiction and poetry offer their own pleasures. ”
—Chicago Tribune
“An invaluable reminder of Yolen’s central role in contemporary fantasy, and perhaps an equally invaluable starting point for readers.”
—Locus on The Emerald Circus and How to Fracture a Fairy Tale
Praise for The Midnight Circus
“Jane Yolen is, simply, a legend. The powerful fairy godmother of every writer working in mythic fantasy today.”
—Catherynne M. Valente, author of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
“Jane Yolen’s stories are pure magic! They draw you in, beguile your senses, and paint the world in richer hues than you’ve ever seen. Her tales will haunt you in the very best way. I loved every word!”
—Sarah Beth Durst, author of Race the Sands
“Look this way, look that; blazing her consummate imagination against the shadows of human sorrow, Jane Yolen has done it again.”
—Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked and A Wild Winter Swan
“Essential reading for all fans of Yolen’s work, especially those who are less familiar with the darker side of her imagination.”
—The Fantasy Hive
“The Midnight Circus sings with magic, darkness, and wonder–perfect for anyone who has ever loved a fairy tale.”
—Meagan Spooner, author of the Starbound Trilogy
“Haunting stories from a modern master.”
—Kirkus
Praise for The Emerald Circus
[STARRED REVIEW] “These delightful retellings of favorite stories will captivate newcomers and fans of Yolen as she once again delivers the magic, humor, and lovely prose that has attracted readers for years.”
—Library Journal
[STARRED REVIEW] “These highly entertaining retellings are perfect for teens fans of fairy tales and classic literature, though they are easily enjoyed without any background knowledge.”
—School Library Journal
“From Snow Queen to spaceship, The Emerald Circus is a delight.”
—Patricia A. McKillip, author of the Riddle-Master trilogy and Wonders of the Invisible World
“Jane Yolen facets her glittering stories with the craft of a master jeweller. Everything she writes, including The Emerald Circus, is original and timeless, deliciously creepy and disturbingly lovely.”
—Elizabeth Wein, author of Code Name Verity
Praise for How to Fracture a Fairy Tale
“With a glowing introduction by author Marissa Meyer, and an afterword with an author’s note and poem for each story, this showcase of 28 tales highlights Yolen’s delightful imagination and elegant writing.”
—Library Journal
“This collection is Jane Yolen at her best.”
—Patricia C. Wrede, author of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles
“A master storyteller at her best. I’ve been a fan of Jane Yolen and fractured fairytales for years and this collection doesn’t disappoint.”
—Chanda Hahn, bestselling author of Reign
Visit the Jane Yolen website, or on Twitter @JaneYolen
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