Skulls! (Hardcover)
Staff Reviews
This laugh-out-loud book is part silly, part facts, about the wonders of something we all share: a skull!!! With adorable illustrations, find out the many things that make our skulls so neat. By the end of this book you’ll be shouting with glee: “I love my skull!”
(Picture Book) - reviewed by Isabel
— From Staff Picks by Isabel
You probably don’t think much about skulls.
So what’s the big deal about them?
Well, every head
of every person
you’ve ever seen
has a skull inside.
And that includes YOU!
This smart, skull-positive story cheerfully dispels any fears kids might have about their skeletons, flipping our view of skulls from a spooky symbol to a fascinating, cool, and crucial part of our bodies.
Scott Campbell’s paintings have appeared in numerous shows and publications around the world. He has created award-winning comics, such as “Igloo Head and Tree Head,” which appeared in the Flight anthology, and is the illustrator of Zombie in Love and Zombie in Love 2 + 1 by Kelly DiPucchio; East Dragon, West Dragon by Robyn Eversole; and If Dogs Run Free by Bob Dylan. He is the author and illustrator of Hug Machine. Scott lives in New York City. Visit him at PyramidCar.com.
— Publisher's Weekly
"Balances gracefully on the edge between comically informative and spooky; audiences wary of scares may find the straightforward cheer reassuring, while those who embrace the skeletal dark side will still have plenty of bony visages to admire. . . . This has obvious potential for Halloween/Día de los Muertos use, but it also has entertaining year-round possibilities for kids to get into their own headspace—literally."
— BCCB
"With snappy writing Thornburgh describes a skull’s importance (it’s “a car seat for your brain”) and its functions (it gives a face its shape; it holds teeth in place; and more). . . . Campbell packs plenty of humor into his muted watercolor illustrations (the grim reaper sips from a juice box) in this jaunty paean to human skulls."
— The Horn Book
"A page of 'Cool Skull Facts!' opposite a final, fairly anatomically correct image gives this good odds of becoming a STEM and storytime favorite. Readers who have never thought of it before will agree: 'Take care of your skull, because you only get one.'"
— Kirkus Reviews
"Guaranteed to get kids giggling and proclaiming, 'I love my skull!'"
— Booklist
"Skulls may often be associated with death and mortality, but this life-affirming book is breezy and ebullient. You can say it again: Skulls were never more fun."
— BookPage
"The carefree tone and tidbits of humor, such as the girl’s love of grilled cheese sandwiches, make this an amusing introduction for young students of the human body."
— School Library Journal
"Campbell's sweetly absurd illustrations will help little ones learn not to fear the Reaper, whom he shows contentedly sipping a juice box. The quirky watercolor scenes support Thornburgh's offbeat narrative perfectly. . . . Between the popularity of Halloween and el Día de los Muertos, some families will find Skulls! a useful tool for comforting and educating young children who may find the holidays' skeleton-heavy imagery unsettling. Parents and teachers will also likely appreciate the list of skull facts in the end matter, ideal for engaging a skull's contents. This authoritatively positive demystification of cranial bones—with its recurring theme of grilled cheese appreciation--is sure to have preschool through early elementary-aged readers shouting, 'I love my skull!'"
— Shelf Awareness
"Amusing and engaging. Through clever comparisons (a skull is “a car seat for your brain”) and dialogue, the book brilliantly explains the purpose of this set of bones."
— Parents Magazine