Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman

This book is written by an author that is great at pulling readers into the worlds that he creates. This is the first book in a series that is very creative in getting non-readers to read. 


This is THE book that I got middle school students, mostly boys but girls too, to start reading. The book is written from the perspective of 12-year-old Ryan. It is not a book however; it is his journal. Ryan lives in a town called Skeleton Creek and his best friend is Sarah Fincher. She is very inquisitive and convinces Ryan to try and find out the mystery behind their town and its name. There are ghosts and secrets that Ryan and Sarah find out about rather quickly.


Ryan's journal stops in places and gives you a password to a website: www.sarahfincher.com. Sarah tells half of the story through her postings on her website. This is what pulled my students into the book. They read a journal and then watch a video online. 


The sequel, Ghost in the Machine, is coming out October 1, 2009. I cannot wait!!!