Silent to the Bone is a realistic fiction young adult novel written by E. L. Konigsburg and originally published in 2000. It was a Best Book for Young Adults in 2001. Konigsburg was a Newbery Medal recipient twice and a renowned young adult and children’s author throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries. Her novel Silent to the Bone focuses on issues of child abuse and The Impact of Shame on One’s Personal Choices. Protagonist Connor helps his friend Branwell regain the strength to speak, and their story is one of Friendship, Family, and Their Unspoken Understandings. Branwell uses Silence as a Form of Communication to help Connor solve the mystery behind a traumatic day.

This guide refers to the 2002 First Simon Pulse edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide contain descriptions of child physical and sexual abuse and neglect and mention death of a parent.

Plot Summary

Thirteen-year-old Connor Kane is tasked with the mission of helping his best friend, Branwell Zamborska, open up after Branwell stopped speaking and was taken to the Juvenile Behavioral Center. Branwell was blamed by the family au pair, Vivian, for injuring his infant sister, Nikki, who now lies in a coma with no definite prognosis. Branwell’s father, Dr. Zamborska, believes that Connor may hold the key to helping Branwell break his silence. The first time Connor visits Branwell, the silence between them is awkward, and Branwell says absolutely nothing. A tape of the 911 call from the day of the incident has Branwell being yelled at by Vivian, who frantically attempts to revive Nikki after she found Branwell shaking him. Connor is certain that Branwell did not harm Nikki but needs Branwell to tell the truth about what happened that day. He knows that Branwell has always been different but also that he is a good person who cares deeply about his sister. Connor thinks back to an author named Jean-Dominique Bauby, who wrote The Diving Bell and the Butterfly after a stroke by blinking as his friend pointed to letters in the alphabet. Connor gets the idea to create flash cards for Branwell and let him use blinks to point out which ones are important. Each card has a phrase on it that only Connor and Branwell understand. As Nikki starts to slowly regain her health, Branwell’s mood also brightens somewhat, and he points to the card that reads “MARGARET,” indicating that Connor should talk to his older sister. He goes to visit Margaret at her house after school and tells her about Branwell. Margaret explains that Branwell felt left out when his father remarried (his mother died when he was an infant) and paid more attention to his wife than his son. Margaret went through the same thing with Connor’s mother and understands the painful feeling.

In his next meeting with Branwell, Connor learns that Branwell’s grandparents played a role in the events that unfolded, so he goes to talk to them. He finds out that they have hired a lawyer to get Branwell to speak and that they took Branwell away to their home in Florida for the first month after Nikki was born. When Branwell’s grandparents visit their grandson and their lawyer plays the recording of the 911 call, Branwell says nothing but responds with a painful look when the tape reaches a certain point in the dialogue. Connor asks Margaret to get a copy of the tape for him and recalls how Branwell’s first meeting with Nikki was awkward due to Branwell’s nerves, which gave his stepmother, Tina, a poor impression of him. Margaret invites Vivian over for dinner to hear her side of the story, and Connor joins them. Vivian is from England and worked as an au pair for the Zamborska family until the incident with Nikki. Connor recalls how Branwell spent increasingly more time at home after Vivian started working for the family, which he later realizes is because he was trying to protect and take care of Nikki when Vivian would not. Over dinner, Vivian lies about the incident and says that she believes Branwell shook the baby. She adds that he had an unhealthy interest in changing Nikki and often snuck into the bathroom to watch Vivian bathe. All the while, Vivian smokes cigarettes and asks Connor to light them. Connor is fooled by Vivian’s womanly charms and develops a crush. A few days later, Margaret retrieves a copy of the 911 tape, and Connor takes it to Branwell, who indicates that Connor needs to study the tape more. Connor and Margaret enlist their father’s help in enhancing the tape, and the advanced copy reveals the presence of another male voice in the background.

Branwell tells Connor to find a man named Morris who works at the local pizza place, so Connor and Margaret go together. When Morris comes in from a delivery, he lies and says that he doesn’t know a Branwell, but Margaret is certain that he’s lying. Morris decides to come forward and talk to Connor a few days later outside the Juvenile Behavioral Center. He admits that he was romantically involved with Vivian and would often visit her during the day. He claims not to know what happened on the day of Nikki’s injury but hints that Vivian is worried about losing her job. During their next meeting, Branwell tells Connor to talk to the family’s housemaid, Yolanda. Connor finds her on her usual bus route, and Yolanda reveals that Vivian often smoked inside the house despite the Zamborskas asking her not to and the agency requiring that their employees don’t smoke. She also reveals that Vivian often intentionally left the door open when she took baths. Hearing this later makes Margaret believe that something strange happened between Branwell and Vivian in the bathroom.

Morris shows up at Margaret’s house with more information, explaining that Vivian often neglected to take care of Nikki. Connor and Margaret plan to write a letter to Vivian’s agency, with the hopes of ensuring that she can’t get another au pair job. Connor starts to grow irritated with Branwell’s silence but continues visiting him and attempting to inspire him to speak. Branwell is clearly upset and adamant that Vivian must not find another job.

When Nikki opens her eyes and smiles, Connor rushes to tell Branwell, hoping that it will inspire him to speak. When it doesn’t, Connor leaves frustrated. He and Margaret talk to Morris again, who admits that Vivian was often rough with the baby and that on the day of Nikki’s injury, Morris heard the baby make a strange sound and then fall into silence while Vivian was changing her. Vivian is considered a fugitive because she is only allowed to be in the United States if she is working for a family, and because of this, she is arrested. Upon hearing this, Branwell is finally ready to speak out and tells Connor his story. Branwell admits to Connor that Vivian manipulated him into a sexual act and that Branwell kept both this and Vivian’s neglect and abuse of Nikki secret from his parents. He felt deeply ashamed of what happened. Branwell also reveals that he came home from school on the day of the incident to find Nikki ill and breathing unusually. He knew that something was wrong and called Vivian to help. Branwell insists that he cannot leave the detention center until Nikki is totally healed. With the help of Connor, a lawyer, and patience, Branwell tells his story and is released. He spends a few days at Margaret’s house, healing and recuperating, and then goes home with his parents and Nikki, who has fully recovered.