John the Skeleton
Triinu Laan author Adam Cullen translator Marja-Liisa Plats illustrator
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Restless Books
Published:14th Nov '24
Should be back in stock very soon
2022 Bologna Children's Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition winner
2021 The White Ravens catalog
2021 Tartu Prize for Children’s Literature
Everyone deserves a quiet, restful retirement. But for John, a newly retired classroom skeleton, life is just beginning. When John is adopted by Grams and Gramps and leaves the classroom to live on their farm, every day is an exciting new adventure: John rides in the car for the first time, makes a snow angel, scares away crooks, and becomes a source of comfort for Grams, Gramps, and their grandkids. With delightful illustrations and a charming cast of characters, John the Skeleton is a quirky, touching, and unforgettable book. Triinu Laan thoughtfully weaves aging and death into the fabric of life, crafting a tender portrait of what it means to care for one another, grow old together, and appreciate the little things.
"Laan’s vignettes of life with John the Skeleton complement the illustrations—simple yet profound. . . . A magical book that allows death to become a beloved part of life." — Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"I enjoyed John the Skeleton immensely, because it is absurd, funny, loving, and makes you understand the grandparents’ quirks. . . . The illustrations are full of life, and make an endearing portrait of the tribulations of farm life, the aging of loved ones, and the pleasure to be found in the little things. This book has won so many awards, and for good reason!" — Mariana Ruiz, GeekDad
"Folk-naif pencil illustrations with beet-red highlights combine gentle humor with tender observation . . . and when the line between life and death blurs further in this lightly other-worldly read, John offers true companionship." — Publishers Weekly
"This slyly funny Estonian import is an affectionate, whimsical look at death." — Youth Services Book Review
"This reflective, folksy book explores concepts of memory, life, death, and everything surrounding them. The direct third-person present-tense text uses short, vignette-style chapters, adding an immediacy to the telling. The art, using textured shades of gray that appear to be rendered with pencil alongside striking pops of bright pink, creates a feel that is both haunting and fresh." — Horn Book Magazine
ISBN: 9781632063700
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
64 pages