Jon Klassen

We’re used to getting picture box from John Klassen. This year he does a little longer story and gives us the Skull. This was originally a folktale of a certain sect of Austrian people. There is a small person running away from something into the woods. They come across the house, and in the house, there is the skull who needs protecting from the rest of the skeleton. This is a folktale in the true tradition of folktales. It doesn’t have the happy everything magical ending that you would see with something Disney has gotten a hold of. If this was Cinderella, toes would be coming off. But in this case, it’s the Skull. The artwork is amazing which is what anybody expects from Klassen and the story is just on the right side of dark for spooky scary times, without being horror or too dark for young children. I loved everything about this, and in the author’s note at the end, John even talks about how he originally wrote the story and where his mind took him to the book that was published. This book is bound to be a classic just like the rest of his picture books that I’ll be heading down to my nieces and nephews for a long time to time.… (more)

In THE SKULL, @jonklassen’s reimagined take on a Tyrolean folktale from @candlewickpress, young Otilla is escaping an unknown danger and fleeing through the night into the forest. She stumbles upon an ancient house and befriends a skull, who gives her sanctuary in exchange for carrying him around the castle (it isn’t easy for him to roll about). In the night, the skull admits to being in danger himself, and Otilla takes it upon herself to repay the skull’s kindness and help him in his time of need.

Told with monochromatic paintings in Klassen’s signature style, this is a quick, whimsical book that is both macabre and has heart. The author’s note at the end explains the importance of folktales and how distance and time can change the folktale and its memory. A delightful wee book that will definitely start to get you in the Spooky Season mood.

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