The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen

 

  • Klassen, Jon. The Skull. Candlewick Press, 2023. Grades 2-4. 

    • In the Skull, Jon Klassen reimagines a Tyrolean folk tale and combines his distinct artistic style to reach new audiences. Klassen is an award-winning children's book writer and illustrator who is a past recipient of the Caldecott Award. Klassen is known for his simple, clean, and expressive style, but in this book, he portrays Otilla as emotionless. The eeriness of the tale combined with the sepia tint carries a spooky but age-appropriate feel. His purpose in retelling this classic tale began when he first encouraged the story in a Library in Alaska; unable to get it off his mind, he eventually located the original and realized his memory of the story and the source material did not match. Liking his version better, he set out to continue the tradition of passing on folk tales while putting your own spin on them. While Klassen is an authority in the world of children's books, he does not include historical context but does cite the original source material. Readers will enjoy the story because of its compelling illustrations, Otilla and the skull's unlikely friendship, and Klassen's engaging retelling. 

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