Parents' Guide to Skeletown: Hola. ¡Adiós!

Book Rhode Montijo Picture Book 2025
[Hola. ¡Adiós!] book cover: two black and white calaveras fly a kite against neon green background

Common Sense Media Review

Florencia Orlandoni By Florencia Orlandoni , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 4+

Playful skeleton causes trouble in town with dog and kite.

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What's the Story?

In SKELETOWN: HOLA. ¡ADIÓS!, the adults go about their daily routines while the main character, a child skeleton, disrupts them accidentally. Skully and his dog are looking for materials to make a kite. Although the young skeleton and his dog inadvertently cause some trouble, they always remember to greet people with a friendly "Hola" and bid them goodbye with an enthusiastic "¡Adiós!" The kid skeleton and his dog are pushed out of most places for being too rowdy, and every turn of the page leaves readers wondering if the little skeleton and his dog will ever find a place to be free to fly their kite.

Is It Any Good?

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This picture book is filled with characters and situations that tickle the imagination and can get readers to laugh. In Hola. ¡Adiós!, Rhode Montijo returns to the fun fantasy world of Skeletown, clearly inspired by the long-standing Mexican and Mexican American tradition of incorporating calaveras, calacas, catrinas, and all types of skeletons often associated with Día de Muertos into everyday situations. While the book's surface-level goal seems to be exposing young readers to new Spanish vocabulary, the book concludes with a beautiful and meaningful scene. Montijo's striking three-color art in bright green, black, and white is eye-catching and full of wonderful details. His calavera theme creates more than just a charming world—it ensures the playful yet profound messages traditionally conveyed by calaveras are effectively delivered.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the story being told through the pictures and the two words in Hola. ¡Adiós!, using the illustrations to prompt little ones to practice storytelling.

  • Extend Spanish vocabulary learning by asking questions about the illustrations: What do you see? What store is this? What is this called in English? What is this called in Spanish?

  • Who is the little calavera saying "hola" to? Who is the little calavera saying "adios" to? How do the meanings of "hola" and "adios" change as story goes on?

  • Skully doesn't give up on flying his kite. What things have you really wanted to do and had to try several different ways to figure out?

Book Details

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[Hola. ¡Adiós!] book cover: two black and white calaveras fly a kite against neon green background

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