The Skeleton Flute

by Damara Allen

Overview

The legend of the Pied Piper meets Sal and Gabi Break the Universe with a touch of Coraline in this “fascinating” (Publishers Weekly) middle grade adventure about a boy whose wish goes horribly wrong and his fight to reunite with his real family.

Sam Windsor’s parents and younger siblings, Grayson and Addie, are his whole world, so when his parents announce they’re separating, Sam is devastated. He’d do anything to make his parents change their minds and keep the family together. When a stranger offers a flute made of bone that supposedly grants the player’s wish, Sam doesn’t really believe it will work but figures he has nothing to lose.

Surprisingly, the wish on the skeleton flute comes true. The next day, his parents are happily in love, with no plans for his dad to leave. But there’s a major problem: his parents’ relationship isn’t the only thing in his life that has changed, and some of the changes are definitely for the worse.

Caught in a world full of unintended consequences and familiar strangers, Sam has limited options for returning to his old life—worries, challenges, and all. Can he track down the mysterious man who gave him the flute and undo his wish?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665946605
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	08/27/2024
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Damara Allen was born and raised in Syracuse, New York. She loves everything spooky and creepy. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her husband and daughter.

Editorial Reviews

07/22/2024

When his parents announce that they’re separating, tween Sam flees on his bike to Stapleton Town Park, where a stranger named Bones offers him a flute that will purportedly grant the user’s greatest desire. Initially skeptical, Sam eventually wishes that his parents would stay together, and though his wish comes true, it has unforeseen consequences: his siblings disappear, and his best friend Derek no longer recognizes him. Anxious, Sam confronts Bones, who tells him that there’s nothing he can do after a wish is granted. Soon after, Sam begins having nightmares about an alternate version of himself, but he struggles to understand what they mean (“The memory follows me—remains of a dark, haunted place, and a pale, frightened face that belonged to me”). While researching Bones and the flute, Sam meets tween Lena and librarian Helen, both of whom have fallen victim to the instrument’s magic. With their help, he tracks down the origins of the stranger and his reasons for targeting Stapleton citizens. Debut author Allen presents a mélange of alternate universe tropes to deliver a fascinating page-turner populated by empathetic characters. Approachable dialogue and fast-paced fun ground conversations surrounding morality, revenge, and forgiveness. Characters are intersectionally diverse. Ages 8–12. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

07/01/2024

Gr 4–8—A novel that starts out as a realistic family tale and quickly turns into a fantasy by way of the "be careful what you wish for" adage. Sam's world is rocked with the announcement of his parents' separation, and he will do anything to change that reality. He gets that chance upon meeting Bones, a scraggly man who offers him an odd flute and promises his wish will be granted after playing it. Sam wakes to a world where his parents are happily married but every other aspect of his life has changed, leaving him bereft and alone. He meets Lena, a girl who is experiencing the same altered reality, and together they uncover a dark historical event that explains the origin story of Bones. Sam and Lena begin spending most of their time in altered realities and with different versions of themselves, fighting monsters and Bones to reclaim their lives and free their other selves. A showdown ensues that features an exorcism, frogmen, soul eaters, bat monsters, and more. Initially, Allen captures the heartbreak of parents separating at an age when children have neither the verbal nor emotional vocabulary to communicate how deeply they are affected. But the bulk of the story features an alternate monster-filled wasteland, as well as a multitude of additional characters and speculative theories that bog down the momentum. The historical and familial aspects are more nuanced and rich than the supernatural and science fiction elements. VERDICT For readers who enjoy descriptive fantasy with a touch of horror.—Lee De Groft

School Library Journal

"The story offers emotional honesty while keeping the suspense believable. The cast of supporting characters is authentic with depth and purpose and the action is well-paced. Author Damara Allen has re-imagined a Pied Piper–like historical fantasy that examines the historical ties that bind people to their actions and consequences, coming to a believable and satisfying conclusion. A story that's a cut above, The Skeleton Flute will find many fans."

8/1/2024 - Booklist

Initially, Allen ­captures the heartbreak of parents separating at an age when children have neither the verbal nor emotional vocabulary to communicate how deeply they are affected. . . . For readers who enjoy descriptive fantasy with a touch of horror.

From the Publisher