WRITTEN IN BONE: BURIED LIVES OF JAMESTOWN AND COLONIAL MARYLAND by Sally M. Walker

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Walker, Sally M. WRITTEN IN BONE: BURIED LIVES OF JAMESTOWN AND COLONIAL MARYLAND. Minneapolis, MN: Carolhoda Books. ISBN: 9780822571353.

PLOT SUMMARY

The lives of the past have always interested us. The branch of archeology was created for that purpose, to unearth the history of the people’s lives from the Egyptians to Native Americans. WRITTEN IN BONE traces the lives of nine colonists in Jamestown, Maryland, discussing the findings of their remains and the discovery of their everyday lives and the deadly end. The evidence is first found in their skeletal remains, and is further discussed by examining the bones, teeth, and items found in or around the body. Sally M. Walker teams up with Dr. Douglas Owsley, a specialist in forensic anthropology and other archeologists and forensic anthropologists to reveal the stories written in the bones. These eight colonists do not possess any written records surrounding their lives and later death, which makes the discovery of their stories that much more interesting. The bones and skulls define the characteristics of their race and their personal lives/livelihood. Walker discusses the remains of African American slaves, infants, farmers, and women, while instructing the reader on how forensics are able to determine age, race, gender, careers, and so forth.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is definitely a one of a kind nonfiction book. The factual tale is written in such a way that the reader is transformed into the world of Colonial Maryland seeing the lives of slaves, young mothers, and young men unfold before their eyes. The sadness of early death, such as infantile remains and those of children grip the reader and present the harshness of early America before electricity. Comparisons made through the visuals and measurements of bones provide an insight into their inherent ties with Europe, Africa, and those native to America. The reader can feel the anticipation of each finding, causing a quick drawing of breath when the remains of a young 16 year old boy is found in a garbage disposal beneath the storage cellar.

The writing is straight-forward and unerring. The book is absolutely informational from beginning with a Table of Contents and a Note to the Reader, to the end with the provision of a Selected Bibliography, Timeline, and Author Acknowledgements.

The author utilizes the real images of the skeletal remains and their actualized counterpart depicting what he or she would have looked like at the time, effectively aids the reader in understanding the importance of each find. The book provides a significant amount of photographs, charts, diagrams, and sidebar information that draw the eye and keep one turning the page. The recreation of Colonial America in the reenacted photographs and the archeological images of unearthing skeletons really tie the past and present together into a unified story of eight lives that may have lived centuries ago, but are still relevant and relatable to people today.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Finalist for the award of Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction

“Walker (Secrets of a Civil War Submarine, 2006 Sibert Award) places dedicated young CSI fans right at the elbows of forensic archeologists studying colonial-era burials in the Chesapeake Bay area. Focusing on nine graves, she explains in precise detail how scientists can draw sometimes-surprising conclusions about what these early settlers ate, where they came from and when, their age and sex, how they lived and died—all from subtle clues in the bones, the teeth, the surrounding dirt and, rarely, the sketchy historical evidence that survives…” Kirkus Review 2009

CONNECTIONS

Encourage children to watch a discovery channel episode with archeology and take notes on interesting facts learned from the episode about the findings or how they found them.

Children/Young Adults should read more of Sally M. Walker’s Nonfiction books, such as:

SECRETS OF A CIVIL WAR SUBMARINE

FROZEN SECRETS: ANTARTICA REVEALED

AND MORE!

Also, check out:

Rubalcaba, Jill; Robert Shaw. 2010. EVERY BONE TELLS A STORY: HOMININ DISCOVERIES, DEDUCTIONS, AND DEBATES. Charlesbridge Publishing. ISBN 978-1580891646