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The Devil's Backbone
David Baxter takes the blame for the graffiti on the school gym doors to keep his friend out of trouble and earns a three-day suspension. His dad, the juvenile judge, forces him to go on a roadtrip to redemption on the Natchez Trace Parkway. What his dad doesn’t know is that David meets a ghost carrying the last letter of Meriwether Lewis - the piece of evidence that may solve the 200-year-old mystery of Lewis’s death. Thanks to the ghost, David just might figure out how to relate to his dad and forgive his wayward mom.
- GenresMiddle Grade
182 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 13, 2014
This appealing, well-told story takes readers along the Natchez Trace as David Baxter travels by car with his father to Nashville, TN, where David's mother has moved to follow her dream as a songwriter. On the way, David struggles with a guilty secret: his best friend who has already been in trouble in school has participated in yet another "stunt" that would mean his expulsion and perhaps time in juvenile detention if he is caught. Against his friend's protests, David has taken the blame. Making matters worse is the fact David's father is a juvenile court judge.
As David and his father travel the Trace, David keeps a journal—one in which he records notes about the young fellow in American frontier clothing whom David keeps encountering along the way—a ghost with a mission, as it turns out. Swallowing his disbelief—a ghost? No way!—David listens to the young man's tale. Kit was a post rider whose mail was not delivered after his death at the hands of mail robbers in 1809, when he was just eighteen. What is more, Meriwether Lewis of the famous Lewis & Clark Expedition wrote one of the letters—and the letter is still in Kit's leather mail pouch.
Though primarily aimed at middle grade readers, this is an engaging novel for anyone interested in the Natchez Trace, and then, again, in the mystery surrounding the death—murder, or suicide?—of Meriwether Lewis as he traveled to Washington D.C. for a meeting with President James Madison in October 1809. In his journal, David records all the stops he and his father make along the Trace, including one at Meriwether Lewis State Park, where the former explorer is buried. In a clever turn, along with reuniting David with his mother, the author finds a way to see Lewis's last letter (a fictional one) delivered, giving both this story and Lewis himself a satisfying end.
As David and his father travel the Trace, David keeps a journal—one in which he records notes about the young fellow in American frontier clothing whom David keeps encountering along the way—a ghost with a mission, as it turns out. Swallowing his disbelief—a ghost? No way!—David listens to the young man's tale. Kit was a post rider whose mail was not delivered after his death at the hands of mail robbers in 1809, when he was just eighteen. What is more, Meriwether Lewis of the famous Lewis & Clark Expedition wrote one of the letters—and the letter is still in Kit's leather mail pouch.
Though primarily aimed at middle grade readers, this is an engaging novel for anyone interested in the Natchez Trace, and then, again, in the mystery surrounding the death—murder, or suicide?—of Meriwether Lewis as he traveled to Washington D.C. for a meeting with President James Madison in October 1809. In his journal, David records all the stops he and his father make along the Trace, including one at Meriwether Lewis State Park, where the former explorer is buried. In a clever turn, along with reuniting David with his mother, the author finds a way to see Lewis's last letter (a fictional one) delivered, giving both this story and Lewis himself a satisfying end.
September 17, 2014
Historical fiction with a ghost(?) and a mystery. Middle grade fun that will grab both boys and girls. A well-written, exciting adventure. Recommended.
July 3, 2014
My 9 y.o. son LOVED this book! Highly recommend for young boys!
January 2, 2018
A ghost story combined with a father/son road trip along the Natchez Trace makes for a good tale in The Devil's Backbone. I gave this book to my 11-year-old niece for Christmas and now I want to plan my own trip along the Trace ...
November 29, 2023
The Devil’s Backbone is a quick, easy read, with clean writing and a unique concept. David Baxter is an instantly likable character, and I happily followed him through the pages of his story as he traveled down the Natchez Trace. The pace is steady throughout, and kept me engaged as I learned more about David, as well as the historical mystery he sets out to solve.
Speaking of which, the mystery is actually fairly light, as both the letter-carrying ghost and the unsolved death of Meriwether Lewis serve more as backdrops to David’s own personal journey than the central force of the story. It’s not all dropped clues and careful deduction; the ghost and David work through their questions and what needs to be done in a straightforward and simple manner. The ghost adds a bit of fun and intrigue to the story, without making it the slightest bit scary or spooky. The real meat of the narrative is David’s relationship with his father, and his feelings about his relationships. Through the course of the story, David realizes what’s truly important to him, and is able to be more honest with his father about his concerns and choices.
Rae Ann’s love of the Natchez Trace Parkway is evident in the pages of The Devil’s Backbone. The Trace becomes almost as much a character as David and the others. Through a journal David keeps, she manages to weave historical facts into the story that highlight interesting and curious pieces of the Trace’s past. The way the modern story intertwines with the historical trivia would make this book an excellent addition to any middle school teacher’s classroom library. As a Tennessee resident myself, I found myself itching to travel the Trace, to experience the same beautiful scenery and bits of history that David discovers as he travels with his father.
Overall, The Devil’s Backbone was an enjoyable, educational book, uncovering some lesser-known pieces of American history through the eyes of its relatable teen protagonist. I’d recommend it especially to teens (and teachers and parents!) in Tennessee and the surrounding states, but I’d happily recommend it to anyone with an interest in history and a love of compelling characters.
Speaking of which, the mystery is actually fairly light, as both the letter-carrying ghost and the unsolved death of Meriwether Lewis serve more as backdrops to David’s own personal journey than the central force of the story. It’s not all dropped clues and careful deduction; the ghost and David work through their questions and what needs to be done in a straightforward and simple manner. The ghost adds a bit of fun and intrigue to the story, without making it the slightest bit scary or spooky. The real meat of the narrative is David’s relationship with his father, and his feelings about his relationships. Through the course of the story, David realizes what’s truly important to him, and is able to be more honest with his father about his concerns and choices.
Rae Ann’s love of the Natchez Trace Parkway is evident in the pages of The Devil’s Backbone. The Trace becomes almost as much a character as David and the others. Through a journal David keeps, she manages to weave historical facts into the story that highlight interesting and curious pieces of the Trace’s past. The way the modern story intertwines with the historical trivia would make this book an excellent addition to any middle school teacher’s classroom library. As a Tennessee resident myself, I found myself itching to travel the Trace, to experience the same beautiful scenery and bits of history that David discovers as he travels with his father.
Overall, The Devil’s Backbone was an enjoyable, educational book, uncovering some lesser-known pieces of American history through the eyes of its relatable teen protagonist. I’d recommend it especially to teens (and teachers and parents!) in Tennessee and the surrounding states, but I’d happily recommend it to anyone with an interest in history and a love of compelling characters.
May 31, 2013
What a fun and enthralling read! Rae Ann Parker introduces us into an eerie and chilling world with The Devil's Backbone, an engaging and standout middle grade!
What I love most about this book is David's relationship with his parents - as the novel progresses, we get more insight into David's somewhat broken past and the way he fixes it. The roadtrip that he and his dad go on was so much fun to read about; especially to the creepy place The Devil's Backbone! The setting was the perfect place for this kind of story. I loved it!
And not only that, I loved the historical element that The Devil's Backbone brings! I'm not that big on historical novels, and while this book isn't a historical, it definitely has key points to bring the reader back to the past of our ghost that we meet. The characters were brilliant in The Devil's Backbone. They gave me so many emotions to feel, and I really connected with them by the end of the book!
Speaking of which, the ending was so cool! Fast-paced endings are what {usually} make the novel whole for me, and The Devil's Backbone did just that. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, dying to know how in the world David could get out of this sticky situation! That ending was fantastic and couldn't have ended any better. Love!
Overall, The Devil's Backbone is an intriguing and spellbinding novel that had me rooting for the characters and invested completely into the story. Definitely a favorite middle grade read!
What I love most about this book is David's relationship with his parents - as the novel progresses, we get more insight into David's somewhat broken past and the way he fixes it. The roadtrip that he and his dad go on was so much fun to read about; especially to the creepy place The Devil's Backbone! The setting was the perfect place for this kind of story. I loved it!
And not only that, I loved the historical element that The Devil's Backbone brings! I'm not that big on historical novels, and while this book isn't a historical, it definitely has key points to bring the reader back to the past of our ghost that we meet. The characters were brilliant in The Devil's Backbone. They gave me so many emotions to feel, and I really connected with them by the end of the book!
Speaking of which, the ending was so cool! Fast-paced endings are what {usually} make the novel whole for me, and The Devil's Backbone did just that. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, dying to know how in the world David could get out of this sticky situation! That ending was fantastic and couldn't have ended any better. Love!
Overall, The Devil's Backbone is an intriguing and spellbinding novel that had me rooting for the characters and invested completely into the story. Definitely a favorite middle grade read!
July 14, 2014
This is a great middle-grade story and I know my sons would’ve enjoyed this when they were younger. The Natchez Trace setting becomes another character and the author’s love for the area and its history shines through. David is in trouble because of taking the blame for something his best friend did so his own father, a juvenile judge, tries to find a way to get through to him. They take a road trip along the Trace and that’s when the ghostly elements of the story come into play. The longstanding mystery of Meriwether Lewis’s death may be solved at last. The story of how David works through his difficult relationship with his father and begins to understand his absent mother better is one that will resonate with many children going through similar situations. I’m looking forward to the next book by this talented author.
January 15, 2014
The Devil’s Backbone is a cool mystery with lots of historical elements that make me want to go explore the Natchez Trace Parkway. Ms. Parker does a great job sharing snippets of what makes the Trace so unique and historical without letting the story get bogged down by it. David is a likeable character and his problems are very relatable--covering for his best friend, missing his mom who left to pursue her dreams, and trying to co-exist with his juvenile judge dad. The ghost was a cool addition and pulled together the present and the past perfectly. I don’t usually read middle grade books, but I’ll definitely check out a few more after this one!
February 3, 2017
The Devil's Backbone takes us down the Natchez Trace, a 440-mile road that runs through Mississippi and Tennessee. The main character, David, is on the trip with his father as part of a learning type of punishment after David takes the blame for something his friend did. During the trip, David makes a friend who happens to be the ghost of a boy who died hundreds of years ago. The history of the area is carefully woven into the story, keeping it interesting and entertaining while also helping the reader learn. A great read for tweens, teens, AND adults!
May 23, 2013
You never know what a few days on a trail may bring. For David, a well of truth from both past and present spring up before him as he wanders the historic Natchez Trace with his father...and a ghost. Only by facing his own inner ghosts can David help the one who walks beside him. The land has a story to tell and together the boys flush out what lurks in the shadows of both the trail and David’s life. This exciting and engaging blend of fact and fiction will make you pack a bag and head to The Trace—a road filled with hope and horror from long ago.
August 14, 2013
My son and I read this book together and we both absolutely loved it! The author takes you on an interesting and educational exploration down the famous Natchez Trace. And she keeps your curiosity peaked with story lines about a mysterious boy the main character, David keeps bumping into on the Trace, and another involving David's mother who he and his father are on their way to visit. I got chill bumps as I read the epilogue (no spoilers here, you'll have read it to see!). Highly recommended for a quality, educational but fun read!
January 14, 2014
Ghost + history + a road trip = a great book!
The main character, David, takes the blame for graffiti in order to save his best friend from expulsion. During his suspension, David's father takes him on a road trip up the Natchez Trace. Along the way, David meets a two hundred year old ghost with an incomplete mission. While David tries to help the ghost, he must also deal with the reality of his somewhat estranged mother waiting for him at the end of the Trace.
Great characters and a great story.
The main character, David, takes the blame for graffiti in order to save his best friend from expulsion. During his suspension, David's father takes him on a road trip up the Natchez Trace. Along the way, David meets a two hundred year old ghost with an incomplete mission. While David tries to help the ghost, he must also deal with the reality of his somewhat estranged mother waiting for him at the end of the Trace.
Great characters and a great story.
June 13, 2013
I loved Parker's book The Devil's Backbone. As a teacher, I could visualize many ways to incorporate this novel into middle school curriculums. Parker skillfully weaves a historically accurate and modern picture of the Natchez Trace Parkway with the interesting story of a young boy who needs to reconnect with his father who is a juvenile judge. Anyone interested in history of any age, will enjoy this book and probably start planning a road trip from Nashville to Natchez!
November 23, 2013
Rae Ann Parker's combination of modern adventure and historical ghosts on the legendary Natchez Trace make THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE an exciting read! While reconnecting with his father, a boy any reader can connect with tries to understand his mother. I especially loved the mystery mixed in the story about Meriwether Lewis' murder on the Trace. Highly recommend!
November 29, 2013
I received this book free through Goodreads First Reads and I enjoyed it. I liked the story and the characters. It is definitely going into my student library at school, so the kids can read it. It would make a good class read! It's a four or five star book, so I am giving it 4.5 stars.
April 22, 2014
This fast-paced middle grade story about a boy, his father, and a ghost blends family healing with exciting history. I enjoyed every minute and hope to read it to my kids when they get a bit older. I live near the setting, and it's obvious the author did some serious research. Loved it!
May 6, 2013
Excellent middle grade ghost story with a blend of history of the Trace.
June 13, 2013
I loved the story line! It was a hard to put down book because I wanted to know what the outcome was going to be. Thankful the outcome was good!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews