What Teachers are Saying

I teach seventh and eighth grade language arts at Woodward-Granger, a small-town Iowa school. One of my greatest passions as a teacher is helping students find a passion for reading. I recently read Skeleton Creek, and I LOVED the incorporation of multiple forms of media. I saw it as something that might engage my more reluctant readers, so I put the book into their choice pile, and it was chosen almost unanimously. They absolutely love it! Every day, they are begging for more. They begged me to get the second book before we were even half way through Skeleton Creek. They talk about it at lunch (only the topics of utmost importance get discussed there!). We can’t get enough! So, thank you for creating such a wonderful duo. My students are captivated, engaged, and obsessed!

Heather Meinecke

I teach students with learning disabilities in reading at the high school level. Most of these students have never read a story, let alone a complete book before, but they have now read both books in the Skeleton Creek series. My students have spread the word about the books and our librarian even ordered it based on student requests. I have actually had parents check out copies to read on their own at home, some of them have never actively read a complete book and they love Skeleton Creek. My students are now “on fire” for reading and want to know what is next. The parents are also thrilled! Thanks again for all you do!

Kim Youngs
Mountain Ridge High School

With all the technological push-button devices that are available to students these days, it’s tough to turn them on to the printed word. Your books have done exactly that for my sixth graders. They have gone through a metamorphosis and turned into beings that I hardly recognize!

Connie Drake

I am an elementary school librarian and a huge supporter of your tapping into digital literacy. As a librarian who teaches every student in my school (over 600!), I try and make my literacy program different from what they would experience in the classroom reading program. I am frustrated with the lack of books out there that converge traditional books with the Web. Your books are in and of themselves interactive which is what makes me a huge fan.

Laura Fleming

My name is Susan Bush and I am a 5th grade reading and writing teacher. I teach in a very rural, poor school in Eastern Arkansas. (closest bookstore is hour away ugh!!) My students came to my class with very little knowledge of authors and books. They also hated reading and had the hardest time just sitting and reading. I heard about Skeleton Creek in a professional development workshop. I bought the book and began reading / showing the videos the first day of school. I cannot begin to tell you how crazy the students are about the book. It is all the 60+ kids could talk about. They are reading / watching and rereading both books. They cannot get enough of these books. As a reading teacher, I just wanted to say thanks for sharing your gift of writing with us and to let you know you are a rock star in our little school.

Susan Bush

4 Comments

1. Ricky says:

   May 11, 2011 at 11:20 am

   I like your books a lot i’m a really big fan I finished the Crossbones yesterday

   Reply
2. Kerri Warren says:

   May 10, 2011 at 9:24 am

   AMAZING!! I work with 7th/8th graders with learning disabilites. It is very hard to find reading material that gets them excited~Skeleton Creek has done it! It is amazing, my kiddos love the book and can not wait to start class! I have started reading Skeleton Creek with my 7th graders and we will be starting next school year with Ghost in the Machine, they can’t wait! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

   Reply
   • PatrickCarman says:

     May 10, 2011 at 7:45 pm

     Fantastic! Keep spreading the news to other educators when you can – I need all the help I can get from dedicated teachers like you. PC
3. Cheryl Richardson says:

   September 8, 2010 at 4:55 pm

   I teach sixth and seventh graders in Tennessee. The Skeleton Creek series frenzy has erupted through my classroom. Students were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Crossbones, reading it record time. Reluctant readers are consuming these books and want more. Patrick Carman is a genius for incorporating technology in his texts in such an innovative way. Thank you for inspiring young readers and writers.

   Reply