An author’s note reveals the inspiration behind this delightfully odd retelling: A year after first stumbling upon the Tyrolean folktale “The Skull,” Klassen reread it and found that he misremembered significant parts. From that slightly off tale, “[his] brain’s version,” he wrote The Skull. A runaway white girl, Otilla, comes upon a mansion in the woods, in which resides a talking skull. The skull welcomes Otilla and provides a tour of the house. In fact, the two rather hit it off. With Otilla’s help, the skull can once again enjoy tea by the fireplace and pears from the garden. He and Otilla don decorative masks and dance together in the ballroom. Then the skull reveals his secret: Every night, a headless skeleton comes looking for him. Indeed, that night the skeleton appears. It chases Otilla and the skull onto the balcony, intoning, “GIVE ME THAT SKULL. I WANT THAT SKULL,” until Otilla pushes it over the edge. In the forest, she sets about destroying the bones of the skeleton once and for all. Over breakfast the next morning, Otilla and the skull plan their day, the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a long and happy companionship. Simple text, generous font size, and classic Klassen illustrations accompany a story that manages to be eerie and cozy, funny and suspenseful all at once. (Ages 6–9

A #1 New York Times bestseller!
A Kirkus Book Prize Finalist!
A New York Times Best Children's Chapter Book the Year
A Wall Street Journal Best Children's Book of the Year

Caldecott Medalist and New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Jon Klassen delivers a deliciously macabre treat for folktale fans.

Jon Klassen's signature wry humor takes a turn for the ghostly in this thrilling retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale. In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both? Steeped in shadows and threaded with subtle wit--with rich, monochromatic artwork and an illuminating author's note--The Skull is as empowering as it is mysterious and foreboding.