Common Sense Media Review
By Monica Encarnacion
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun, vibrant, relatable tale set in Day of Dead-like world.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
SKELETOWN: SI. ¡NO! is a cheerful story that uses just two words -- si and no -- to draw readers into a sequence of hilarious events in which Day of the Dead-inspired skeleton characters engage in "good" and "bad" behaviors. It's a humorous exploration of opposites that lead to mischief and chaos. Ultimately the story highlights the importance of weighing your options and considering consequences, the importance of good friendship, and how working together can help us solve big problems. The main characters, Skully and Skelly go about their day-to-day activities – picking out a gift, attending a birthday party, and riding a bike. However, each scenario reveals two takes: eating a slice of cake vs. eating the entire cake, hitting a piñata vs. hitting a beehive, riding a bike vs. trying a dangerous stunt. No doubt the little skeletons find themselves in a few rambunctious situations but in the end, they seem to appreciate lessons learned and each other.
Is It Any Good?
This dynamic, funny picture book includes vibrant Dia de los Muertos-inspired art. The cute skeleton-like characters in Skeletown: Sí. ¡No!, draw readers into childhood experiences via a unique storytelling approach that uses just two words -- si and no -- to walk us through a variety of "good" and "bad" choices and their related outcomes. Vibrant neon art and wildly appealing (but not scary) little skeletons inspire us to laugh and possibly reflect on our own questionable behaviors. In the end everyone walks away with a lesson learned and a smile. It's a fun and relatable kid-centered story that will inspire giggles with Spanish and English readers alike!
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the choices made by the characters in Skeletown: Sí. ¡No! What choices did the main characters make? How did curiosity sometimes get the best of them? How were the characters affected by the choices made? What would you do differently or the same?
What makes Skelly a strong and compassionate character? How does she and other characters demonstrate empathy and teamwork? Why are these important character traits?
How do you relate to the characters in this story? Have you been involved in similar situations? What happened to you and how did you solve the problem?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Friendship , Holidays
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Curiosity , Empathy , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : August 1, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Hardback
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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