Salvage the Bones, Jesmyn Ward

China's turned on herself. If I didn't know, I would think she was trying to eat her paws. I would think that she was crazy. Which she is, in a way. Won't let nobody touch her but Skeet. When she was a big-headed pit bull puppy, she stole all the shoes in the house, all our black tennis shoes Mama bought because they hide dirt and hold up until they're beaten soft. 


A hurricane is threatening Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, and Esch's family is preparing for it. Her mother died a while ago, and her father is a drunkard. They are trying to stock up food, but there isn't much at all. Esch is fifteen and pregnant and her brother Skeetah is sneaking scraps for his pit-bull's prized puppies. The story takes place over 12 days. I enjoyed this book. I really loved the characters, including Esch and Skeetah, as well as the pit-bull, China. The book describes this brutal dog-fighting racket where dogs are matched up together. It seemed kind of strange that Skeetah cares so much for China, yet he lets her fight and risk her life and kill other dogs. Esch is also a great narrator in this book, and very observant.

Read Salvage the Bones:

• if you are interested in Hurricane Katrina and what led up to it
• if you're interested in pit bulls
• if you like reading stories set in the South

258 pages.

Very Good! I would recommend this book!