Kennewick Man, one of the oldest and most complete human skel - etons found on the North Amer - ican continent, was discovered in 1996. An extended court case raised questions about anthropo - logical and scientific gains versus respecting Native customs.

The narrative is riveting and accessible and serves as a fine introduction to archaeology and the challenges and ethics involved in this area. The illustrations are suitable in the absence of photographs (by request of Native American tribes). Unfortunately, I found the graphic design overall not very dynamic or attractive, and as a result many of the pages are text-heavy although the book itself isn't that long. ( )

This illustrated book explores the 1996 discovery of the skeletal remains of the Kennewick Man, one of the oldest and most complete skeletons ever recovered in this country. When two young men accidentally uncover a skeleton along a bank of the Columbia River in Kennewick, Washington, they have no idea that their discovery will lead to one of the most important archaeological controversies of modern times and pit scientists against Native American tribes in a nineyear battle for control of the remains.

It's an interesting topic (particularly for its discussion of NAGPRA and the ethics of research on Native American remains), but I think the format is problematic. The content of the book is suited to a middle-school audience, but the large pages with big blocks of text and painted illustrations instead of photos are a turn-off. This is a book for research and reports, but I don't see kids picking it up for recreational reading.

Try Secrets of a Civil War Submarine or Written in Bone by Sally M. Walker or Bodies from the Ice by James M. Deem for similar books with more kid appeal. ( )