The Rag and Bone Shop

The Rag and Bone Shop

By Cormier, Robert.

(2001). New York: Delacorte Press.

ISBN: 0-385-72962-6

Reading Level: Grades 6-8

Summary: A young girl is found dead in the forest of a small town. The case, which has drawn attention of the governor, is a high profile with not many leads. The investigating police officer has a gut feeling about a twelve-year-old boy named Jason, who was the last known person to see the girl alive. Despite the five year age difference, Jason often played with the young girl. They like to do jigsaw puzzles together, and Jason never felt insignificant around her. Nevertheless, the police officer questions whether or not Jason’s relationship was as innocent as it sounds. With little to go on, the investigator calls a disillusioned expert interrogator. The interrogator, Trent, always gets a confession, but when he interviews Jason can Trent trust his training or his intuition? Who really killed Alicia Bartlett?

Review: Cormier, a prolific writer within tween and teen literature, weaves a masterful story of deception, guilt, and the corruption of innocence. The suspense and mystery of the story come from the reader’s ability to judge the characters. Trent becomes a man so dependent upon his job, politics and how both define him that he appears to be a shell of a man unable to connect to his fellow man outside of an interrogation room. Interestingly, Jason appears to have similar characteristics. Jason has difficulty connecting with people his own age, but craves acceptance and support from those either younger or older than him. Winner of the YALSA Best Book for Young Adults as well as the Booklist Editor’s Choice, the story is a compelling read with much to discuss afterwards.

Selected Awards: YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, Booklist Editors Choice