Bone Pickers Diary

by Stephanie Tyo

In the haunting town of Ravenwood, where history and specters blend seamlessly, young Edgar stumbles upon a relic from the past—the Bone Picker's Diary. Within its aged pages lie tales of ghosts and their timeless woes. As Edgar dives deep into the lore, he becomes the bridge between the living and the restless departed. With Halloween looming and the boundary between worlds fading, Edgar, aided by loyal friends Alice and Martin, confronts a centuries-old curse.

223 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 4, 2023

About the author

Stephanie Tyo is a multi-genre author based in Cornwall, Ontario, known for unforgettable stories that span middle-grade misadventures, dark romance, literary horror and many more. Her work blends heart, humor, and haunting depth, exploring themes of memory, connection, and the beauty in life's unexpected detours. Whether she's writing for kids or adults, Stephanie crafts worlds where every detail matters—and every story leaves a mark.

Reviews

[David Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maps, secret passages, graveyards, ghosts, curses, mystery and friendship.

Bone Pickers Diary is a children’s novel set in the town of Ravenwood. The story revolves around three children, and in particular, Edgar. The town has a history of spooky sightings, and there is a legend of the Bone Picker. Edgar lives with his grandmother and he has a love of history and solving mysteries. Up in his grandmother’s attic, he discovers an old diary, and this is the start of Edgar, Alice and Martin’s adventures. This book has all the elements to capture an avid reader: maps, secret passages, graveyards, ghosts, curses, mystery and friendship.

This is a great story for children ten years and older. Stephanie Tyo writes well and this book would make a wonderful present for a child who enjoys reading about the supernatural.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to like this story. I wanted to like it.

I got 36 pages in and couldn't finish it. I don't know if I got a bad copy, or an unedited version, but it felt really jumbled and all over the place to me. I liked the three main characters and I feel like the story had a lot of potential, but it was just really confusing to me.

In chapter one, Edgar found a photograph of his great great grandfather and a spectral figure in dark robes. His grandmother told him it was the Bone Picker. He then grabs a box (that is mentioned twice) to go meet up with his friends.

First, what was this box? And why didn't Edgar tell his friends about the picture? Instead the story jumps to him being in school, and him and his friends go to the library to find books about the town. Nothing more is said about the Bone Picker, until out of nowhere Edgar is reading the Bone Picker's diary. Where did he get it? A couple of chapters later, Edgar asks his grandmother if she's ever heard of the Bone Collector. So it's like the first chapter never happened? He also sees two spirits in the library but only tells his friends about one. The next chapter starts and he acts like he's seeing spirits everywhere he goes, but we still only know about the two, one of which was the Bone Collector, but it's like that one never happened.

The story felt repetitive, and like it wasn't really going anywhere. The flow felt off. Truthfully, it seemed like it was a bunch of chapters from multiple stories, put together into this book. I had so many questions and none of them were getting answered.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun ghostly mystery. At the beginning of the story, fourteen year old Edgar and his friends discovered a mysterious book which turned out to be a diary. The story and the characters came to life while I was reading them, and I could picture the characters and scenes in my mind. It felt like a fun adventure story too, and it's definitely the sort of book that I would have enjoyed as a child or teenager.

Thank you to Booksprout and the author for a free copy to review.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It held my attention throughout and kept me excited and guessing. I was quite surprised upon reading this book how actually wonderful it is. The more I read, the more I was entranced. This is my first time reading this author but it definitely will not be the last. This was a lot of fun.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written book with a cast of strong characters and an intriguing storyline. The author brings an exciting story filled with adventure, discovery and emotions. She kept me guessing throughout and I enjoyed reading.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are freely given.

[Leslie Twitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bone Picker's Diary is a great read. Coming of age story with supernatural elements. This story would be good for middle school age children.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sherry Priddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A group of teens dealing with the supernatural. It's a good read. Eventhough I enjoyed it, I would recommend it to middle school kids.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Darren Beaming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun adventure

There is a lot to like in this story about three young ghost hunting teenagers in the town of Ravenwood. A good read for teens who like Stranger Things

[Aviar Savijon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story for all ages. An amazing journey. With three incredible characters going forward. I loved it!!!!!

[Kerry Schuler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading is very fast and I skimmed a bit as I felt it was for a much younger reading group nice plot for I would say 10 to 12 years old