Parents' Guide to

Out from Boneville: Bone, Book 1

By Michael Berry, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Now-classic comics saga gets off to a rousing start.

Book Jeff Smith Graphic Novel 2005
Out from Boneville: Bone, Book 1 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 4 parent reviews

CSMContentDefault
CSMContentDefault Adult
November 20, 2018
age 8+

The butt review

This book has rude humor,smoking,and violence. At one point in the book (it doesn't show it) is says bone is looking at the girl thorn naked when she's taking a bath in the river.
2 people found this helpful.
jenfullerton
jenfullerton Parent of 8-year-old
January 31, 2023
age 16+

Not for grade schoolers

My son is almost 8 and this series does not seem age-appropriate for him. There is smoking, drinking alcohol, gambling & a scene where one of the bone characters watches (spies on) a young woman taking off her pants and getting into the lake. It’s modest but i feel sends the wrong message and is a lot to unpack for this age group.

This title has:

Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

At the start of OUT FROM BONEVILLE, the Bone cousins -- Fone Bone, Smiley Bone, and Phoney Bone -- flee their village, thanks to the anger enflamed by Phoney's latest scam there. Lost in a fiery desert, the Bones get separated. Fone makes his way to a lush forest, where he is threatened by stupid rat creatures, welcomed by a human girl named Thorn, and rescued by a laid-back Red Dragon. The Bones are eventually reunited, but many tantalizing mysteries remain at the end of this first volume.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (3 ):

Very few comic series announce themselves as classics from their very first issue, but this is surely one of them. In Out from Boneville, creator Jeff Smith has a masterly drawing style that harks back to Walt Disney's animation glory days. Smith fills the plot with adventure, danger, word play, and complicated slapstick, hitting each mark with grace. Each character has hidden depths, even the blustery Phoney Bone. Although aimed at middle school readers, the book will appeal to a variety of ages, and it's good that all nine volumes are available for rapid consumption.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why graphic novels like Out from Boneville are so popular. What effects can comics create that words alone cannot?

  • How do you deal with family members who engage in bad behavior, such as greediness?

  • Fone Bone has a powerful crush on Thorn. What are some good ways to let a person know that you like him or her?

  • The Bone cousins have left Boneville for the first time. What is it like to move to a new place? What strategies for making new friends work best?

Book Details

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