Pick of the Day: Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican World

WALKER, Sally M. & Douglas W. Owsley. Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican World. 136p. bibliog. diags. further reading. illus. index. maps. notes. photos. CIP. Carolrhoda. Oct. 2012. RTE $22.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-7457-2; ebook $17.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0001-6. LC 2011051329.
Gr 8 Up–This detailed study of the discovery and forensic evaluation of the skeleton dubbed “Kennewick Man” puts forensic TV shows to shame. From his accidental discovery in 1996 through multiple examinations by scientists with ever-improving forensic tools and years of unexpected storage due to NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Reparation), an actual human being emerges from a time long gone, speaking to us through his bones. Entering briefly into this long-term investigation are the far more shadowy figures of other Paleoamericans–Spirit Cave Man, Arch Lake Woman, and the Horn Shelter People. Scattered throughout the lucid, readable text are tightly focused informational bits on such topics as CT scans, radiocarbon dating, and NAGPRA practices. Sharp color photos, some nice artwork, and good maps provide clear visuals of the bones themselves, and the features that helped define the man and his life. A final facial reconstruction leaves readers face-to-face with a real person–someone readers would recognize if they met him on the street (we know how tall he was, how much he weighed, that one arm was stronger than the other, etc.). Walker reminds readers that it was not their relics, but living, breathing Paleoamericans who first arrived, settled, lived, and died in the long-gone American past. For those not quite ready for so much detail, try Katherine Kirkpatrick’s equally distinguished Mysterious Bones: The Story of the Kennewick Man (Holiday House, 2011). Lucid writing, fine scientific explanations, and attractive bookmaking make this a winner.–Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY