Prunella and the Cursed Skull Ring

After Prunella—portrayed with voluminous red hair, pale skin, and a wide grin—finds a cursed ring while working in her garden, it morphs her into a living skeleton, resulting in exile from her monster-hating town in this creature-filled adventure. When her inattentive mother and fellow villagers don’t recognize her, post-transformation, Prunella is banished. Once she’s beyond the town’s high wall, she learns that the monsters who inhabit the lands outside the village are not as terrifying as she was led to believe. While searching for the wise Cat Sphinx, who might be able to break her curse, Prunella visits a town home to yoˉkai; fields teeming with animated stone heads; and a cove filled with playful skeletons just like her. Though she worries she may not be able to break her curse, Prunella’s pure heart wins her a score of friends along her journey. Rounded, heavily inked line art and bold hues by Loux (the Time Museum series) render the characters comically expressive. This fast-paced adventure, populated by classic fantasy creatures with charming quirks and paired with a buoyant tone, urges acceptance and peaceful coexistence. Human characters are portrayed as white. Ages 6–10. [em](Oct.) [/em]