Description
Fourteen-year-old Bing is upset with his father for forcing him to help him dig up the bones of Chinese men and women in order to send them back to China. After they discover a skeleton without a skull, Ba is haunted by the powerful ghost. Later Bing gets a job as houseboy for a wealthy family, where he finds another ghost haunting the family. Bing is finally able to find out what both ghosts want from the living and rescues his father from impending death.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 9 to 12
- Grade:
- 4 to 7
- Reading age:
- 9 to 12
Awards
- Short-listed, BCLA stellar Award
- Joint winner, Resource Links Best of 2004
- Short-listed, City of Vancouver Book Award
Editorial Reviews
“The story also offers young readers a glimpse into the racism and tough conditions faced by Chinese immigrants at the turn of the century.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“Yee skillfully contrasts the supernatural with brutal, racial prejudice and the haunted, unsettled yearning of immigrants longing for roots.”
— Booklist
“A great read-aloud, either at home or in the classroom.”
— Toronto Star, starred review
“This is a book that shows the imaginative power of fiction. It demonstrates that empathy across time and cultures is possible.”
— The Georgia Straight
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Annotations
Librarian review
The Bone Collector’s Son
Award-winning author Paul Yee tells the tale of how ghosts haunt Bing and his bone-collector father after they dig up the bones of a murdered Chinese worker.
More than a ghost story, this novel invites readers to empathize with Bing-wing Chan, who resents his father for his bad habits and for his job as a bone collector which requires him to digs up skeletons of deceased Chinese. Paul Yee is an important author giving voice to the Chinese experience, and this title is valuable in helping students understand the history and culture of Chinese immigrants. I recommend that teachers organize an author study of this title, along with other titles by the award-winning author.
Source: Association of Canadian Publishers. Top Grade Selection 2016.
