Bone by Jeff Smith is a fantasy-adventure graphic novel series for young adults. The story tells about three Bone cousins, Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone, who are forced to leave their home of Boneville after Phoney Bone’s schemes go awry. They find themselves in a mysterious valley filled with strange creatures, magic, and adventure. The art is also superb, with Smith’s clean lines and expressive characters bringing the world of Bone to life in detail.
While it’s a long series, with ten volumes in total, each volume is well-paced and feels like a complete story in its own right. The series also builds to a satisfying conclusion, with all the story threads coming together satisfyingly. Overall, it’s a timeless classic that will continue to delight readers for generations. Maintaining reading order for the series is a must, and I’ll show Bone books in order with their stories and main focus. Let’s start!
Bone Books In Order (Series Reading Guide)
The Bone series is a sequential story with a continuing plot and character development. So reading the books out of order could lead to confusion and a lack of understanding of the story. I recommend reading the Bone series in order. These series have prequels, spin-offs, and short stories. You can read them whenever you want.
Prequel miniseries:
- Rose (2000)
Spin-off trilogy of prose novels:
- Bone: Quest for the Spark) (2009-2013).
Short stories:
- Bone: Stupid Stupid Rat-Tails (2000).
- Bone: Tall Tales (2010).
See also:
- Bone: Handbook.
- Art of Bone.
- Bone Reader: The Making of the First Trilogy.
Checkout my list: Bone Books List
Here are the ten books in the “Bone” series by Jeff Smith, listed in order of publication along with the main focus of each:
1. Out from Boneville (1991): This book introduces the Bone cousins and their world and the strange valley they find themselves in. It’s a great start to the series, with humor and adventure.
2. The Great Cow Race (1993): In this book, the Bones get caught up in a wild cow race and meet new allies and enemies. It’s another fun adventure that expands the world of the series.
3. Eyes of the Storm (1996): This book represents the deeper into the history and magic of the valley. The Bones face a powerful dragon and new challenges. It’s a darker, more intense book that sets up the later volumes of the series.
4. The Dragonslayer (1997): The Bones team up with Ben to defeat a powerful dragon and save the valley. It’s a thrilling adventure with great action and humor.
5. Rock Jaw – Master of the Eastern Border (2005): This book introduces a new villain, the ferocious Rock Jaw, as well as new allies and challenges. I found it more complex with themes and character development.
6. Old Man’s Cave (2006): This book explores the mysterious cave system in the valley and reveals more about the history and magic of the world. It’s a great continuation of the series with more depth and intrigue.
7. Ghost Circles (2001): This comic takes a darker turn as the Bones face off against a new threat, the ghost circles, which are destroying the valley. It’s a powerful book with great emotional depth and character development.
8. Treasure Hunters (2002): The Bones again team up with old allies to search for treasure in the valley. It’s a fun adventure with great humor and action.
9. Crown of Horns (2004): The final battle between the Lord of Locusts and humanity occurs. The ending is bittersweet, but it wraps things up perfectly with great action, humor, and an emotional payoff.
10. Coda (2016): The final book in the series brings all the story threads together in a thrilling conclusion. The book includes a new black-and-white Bone story that follows the Bone cousins and Bartleby on their trek through the desert. Jeff Smith also reflects on making Bone with lots of pictures. The last half of the book is an essay, but it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. I suggest borrowing the book from the library.
Overall, the “Bone” series is a masterpiece of storytelling that is well worth reading from start to finish. It’s a timeless classic that will appeal to readers of all ages and tastes.
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