Crackly Bones

An illustrated book for adults and older children, told entirely in rhyme. in collaboration with artist Simon Schild.

Three hundred years ago from now,
when land was tilled with horse and plough
An innocent man was hunted down,
and thrown into a lake to drown

Over time, the lake stagnated,
and memory of the man abated
But one dark night there came a storm,
and Crackly Bones, the fiend, was born!

Synopsis
Three hundred years ago, an innocent man was accused of wizardry, and the lies of a child led to his murder at the hands of a frenzied mob. Tonight, he’s back for his revenge. The villagers are stirred into action when signs of Crackly Bones’ impending arrival are witnessed. Led by Jones, the owner of the public house, the people gather and agree to fight, a decision that will have devastating consequences for the entire village.

Overview
Crackly Bones is a morally complex tale aimed at adults and older children. It is an updated, modern take on the grisly fairy tales of old, told entirely in rhyme. It is a very dark story, focusing on a monster that boils down naughty children in his big black pot, in order to use the fleshy brew to feed his garden. However, things are not so black and white, and readers will find that by the end of the story they have a certain amount of sympathy for Crackly Bones, as it emerges that there is a history of lies and murder, and blood on the hands of the villagers’ descendants.