Description
Book SynopsisDebut picture book author Blair Thornburgh and award-winning illustrator Scott Campbell put their heads together to celebrate one of the most important bones in your body: the skull!You probably don’t think much about skulls.
So what’s the big deal about them?
Well, every head
of every person
you’ve ever seen
has a skull inside.
And that includes YOU!
This smart, skull-positive story cheerfully dispels any fears kids might have about their skeletons, flipping our view of skulls from a spooky symbol to a fascinating, cool, and crucial part of our bodies.
Trade Review"This highly entertaining disquisition reminds readers, things that seem frightening at first can become quite wonderful once you get to know them." -- Publisher's Weekly * April 8, 2019 *
"Balances gracefully on the edge between comically informative and spooky; audiences wary of scares may find the straightforward cheer reassuring, while those who embrace the skeletal dark side will still have plenty of bony visages to admire. . . . This has obvious potential for Halloween/Día de los Muertos use, but it also has entertaining year-round possibilities for kids to get into their own headspace—literally." -- BCCB
"With snappy writing Thornburgh describes a skull’s importance (it’s “a car seat for your brain”) and its functions (it gives a face its shape; it holds teeth in place; and more). . . . Campbell packs plenty of humor into his muted watercolor illustrations (the grim reaper sips from a juice box) in this jaunty paean to human skulls." -- The Horn Book
"A page of 'Cool Skull Facts!' opposite a final, fairly anatomically correct image gives this good odds of becoming a STEM and storytime favorite. Readers who have never thought of it before will agree: 'Take care of your skull, because you only get one.'" -- Kirkus Reviews
"Guaranteed to get kids giggling and proclaiming, 'I love my skull!'" -- Booklist
"Skulls may often be associated with death and mortality, but this life-affirming book is breezy and ebullient. You can say it again: Skulls were never more fun." -- BookPage
"The carefree tone and tidbits of humor, such as the girl’s love of grilled cheese sandwiches, make this an amusing introduction for young students of the human body." -- School Library Journal
"Campbell's sweetly absurd illustrations will help little ones learn not to fear the Reaper, whom he shows contentedly sipping a juice box. The quirky watercolor scenes support Thornburgh's offbeat narrative perfectly. . . . Between the popularity of Halloween and el Día de los Muertos, some families will find
Skulls! a useful tool for comforting and educating young children who may find the holidays' skeleton-heavy imagery unsettling. Parents and teachers will also likely appreciate the list of skull facts in the end matter, ideal for engaging a skull's contents. This authoritatively positive demystification of cranial bones—with its recurring theme of grilled cheese appreciation--is sure to have preschool through early elementary-aged readers shouting, 'I love my skull!'" -- Shelf Awareness
"Amusing and engaging. Through clever comparisons (a skull is “a car seat for your brain”) and dialogue, the book brilliantly explains the purpose of this set of bones." -- Parents Magazine
