The fifth volume of the Bone series finds Fone and Smiley Bone trying to return a critter to its home in the mountains.  This whole book follows these two characters as they leave all the other characters behind for a side quest.

This volume is a very welcome break from the antics of Phoney Bone, but it also gives Jeff Smith a chance to change up the visuals.  The mountains have a very different feel from the forests and village where much of the story has been bouncing between.  This is also one of those times where the coloring used in the Scholastic edition really shines.  The color pallet is so different from what’s come before that it helps to set this story even more apart.  It’s a bit like the sun coming out after a week of rain.

Though Fone and Smiley are off doing their own thing, it isn’t unrelated to the overall narrative, and they do stumble across a few bits about the building evil they’re all up against.  I’m not sure how I feel about Rock Jaw, the new…antagonist?…that’s introduced in this volume. If he doesn’t play a larger role in the overall story, which it doesn’t feel like he will, his inclusion will be a bit of a head-scratcher.

I’ve passed the half-way point in the story.  I’m guessing this was a sort of deep breath before the plunge.  So, on to the next volume. 

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