“They’ve been bringing chaos and war nearby, and they’re coming very soon.”Īfter that moment, everything changes, and the young protagonist begins to question everything he’s ever known.īone Talk, which has been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2019 and the prestigious Costa Book Award, sheds a crucial light on the process and effects of our colonization. “The ‘Americans’ are coming,” the strange boys says. Samkad is confident that he’ll be the best Bontok tribal warrior he can be – until an unknown boy enters their territory, claiming to be his long-lost brother. It’s 1899 and Samkad knows his culture, his people, and his environment by heart, as well as the Bontok manhood ritual – the ceremony that officially turns boys into tribal warriors – axes, spears, and all the big day Samkad has been waiting for.

However, this unfortunate reality – of why the books Candy loved as a child only showed pink-skinned children in snowy worlds and never about her tropical Manila home – is what drove her to create her special, true-to-home genre and more specifically, her 3rd novel, Bone Talk.īone Talk tells the story of a young boy named Samkad, who belongs to the Bontok tribe of the Cordillera region. ©2019 Candy Gourlay (P)2019 Scholastic Inc.The next time you find yourself looking for a captivating, young adult read to pore over, head over to National Book Store, do yourself (and your kids) a favor, and grab a copy of Filipino author Candy Gourlay’s newest novel, Bone Talk.Īward-winning children’s literature writer Candy excellently weaves a tender, coming-of-age story with the rich culture of our Filipino tribe in the midst of the Philippine-American war – which is admittedly, a type of storytelling that is not usually seen on bookshelves.

A people who are bringing war, and destruction right to their home.Ī coming-of-age story set at the end of the 19th century in a remote village in the Philippines, this is a story about growing up, discovering yourself, and the impact of colonialism on native peoples and their lives. A brother who tells him of a people called 'Americans'. He's about to become a man, and while he's desperate to grow up, he's worried that this will take him away from his best friend, Little Luki, who isn't ready for the traditions and ceremonies of being a girl in her tribe.īut when a bad omen sends Samkad's life in another direction, he discovers the brother he never knew he had. Samkad lives deep in the Philippine jungle, and has never encountered anyone from outside his own tribe before. A boy and a girl in the Philippine jungle must confront what coming of age will mean to their friendship made even more complicated when Americans invade their country.

Candy gourlay bone talk