Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Girl befriends talking skull in gently spooky folktale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
THE SKULL begins with a young girl named Otilla running away through the woods in the snow at night. When she sees in a clearing "a very big, very old house," she knocks on the door and then hears "Hello" coming from a skull in a window above the door. He tells her, "I will come down and let you in, but only if you promise to carry me once I do. I am just a skull, and rolling around is difficult for me." She agrees, and then he shows her around the rooms of the big house, and they become unlikely friends. He eventually shares a secret -- that a headless skeleton comes to chase him every night. Will Otilla help him defeat the skeleton?
Is It Any Good?
This quirky, haunting folktale stresses kindness and empathy over spooks and scares, while still creating a gently eerie atmosphere. The Skull has author/illustrator Jon Klassen's trademark deadpan humor and visual style, as his characters face an unusual problem to solve. The kind, unflappable main character, Otilla, has things well in hand -- including her host's skull. Klassen's moody graphite-and-ink artwork mixes spooky menace with the warmth and sweetness of a cup of tea, and shafts of warm light (from fires and morning daylight) contrast with the dark greens and blacks of nighttime. This is a truly original vision.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the horror elements in The Skull. Did you find the skull scary, even though it's nice? What's scary about the headless skeleton? What's fun about reading a story that has some scares in it?
What's your favorite picture in The Skull? Why?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Jon Klassen
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Empathy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Candlewick
- Publication date : July 11, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 6 - 9
- Number of pages : 105
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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