John the Skeleton

A dry, quirky story from Estonian creators Laan and Plats introduces an elderly couple who give a home to a skeleton, John—once a fixture in a science classroom. In short, episodic sections peppered with colloquialisms, Grams and Gramps slip John into a warm jacket, situate the figure on their farm deep in the woods, and embark on a mutually satisfying relationship. John soon proves an intimidating presence to two would-be burglars, comforts the couple after experiences they dread (Grams feels about tree-pruning “the way Gramps does about haircuts: restless and worried”), and receives care and camaraderie (after a bath with the couple’s grandchildren, John feels “like the happiest skeleton in the entire world”). Folk-naif pencil illustrations with beet-red highlights combine gentle humor with tender observation, as in a bird’s-eye view of Gramps’s hands repairing John’s skeletal ones. And when the line between life and death blurs further in this lightly other- worldly read, John offers true companionship—as early text wisely states, “Growing up is easier when you have others around to guide you.” Character skin tones frequently reflect the white of the page. Ages 5–8. (Oct.)