JOHN THE SKELETON

The things we fear don’t seem so scary once we get to know them.

John is a classroom skeleton who, after years of helping students learn about science, is retiring to a new home in Grams and Gramps’ outdoor summer kitchen. After John inadvertently scares shoppers at the grocery store, Gramps repairs a few of his broken bones, and Grams dresses him up in an old coat and hat. He looks quite handsome. John fits right into his new family, saving the village from crooks and becoming a part of the stories that Gramps tells the grandchildren. He even takes part in an art exhibit in the city. More importantly, John offers quiet support to Gramps on difficult days and comfort to Grams on worried days. Translated from Estonian, Laan’s vignettes of life with John the Skeleton complement the illustrations—simple yet profound. Plats’ art is quirky but not scary. Her grayscale images make deft use of cross-hatching; mood-busting hot pink punctuates the illustrations, from a scene of John making a snow angel to a depiction of the grandchildren rescuing snails in the garden. His presence feels symbolic, an acknowledgment that aging and death are facts of life; the story will encourage readers to care for one another and to appreciate the little things. Characters have paper-white skin.

A magical book that allows death to become a beloved part of life.