 John is a newly retired skeleton. He was a classroom teaching aid in a South Estonian school. Gramps and Grams bring John to their outdoor summer kitchen on their farm deep in the woods. Every day is exciting for John. He rides in a car, meets the farm animals, scares some crooks in the village, visits with the grandchildren, takes a bath and makes a snow angel. He even becomes part of an art exhibit at the city museum. Short chapters and folk art pencil illustrations in black and white with pops of beet red present a view of Estonian culture with saunas, pixies, and linden-blossom tea. The text is also medically accurate. This quirky, affectionate story portrays what it means to care for one another, grow old together, and appreciate the little things. mjw |
| Title: John The Skeleton Author: Triini Laam Illustrator: Marja-Liisa Plats Publisher: Yonder, an imprint of Restless Books Copyright:2024 Original Language: Estonian Translator: Adam Cullen Original Title: Luukere Juhani juhtumised Original Publisher: Paike ja Pilve, Saue, Estonia Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-1632063700 Hardcover pages: 64 Age range: 6-12 Genre: Picture Book Book setting: South Estonia Author’s ethnicity: Estonian Author’s residence: Estonia Illustrator’s ethnicity: Estonian Illustrator’s residence: Estonia Awards:2025 Batchelder Award, soo5 ISBBY Outstanding International Books, 20221 White Raven Catalog Subjects: Aging, Death, Farms, Grandchildren, Grandparents, Retirement, Skeletons |
John The Skeleton
Leave a reply
This question-and-answer book features a young girl and her grandfather exploring water’s role in world history and earth science. Topics include: How much water is there on earth? Why does it rain? How are rainbows and water related? How is a sea different from an ocean? What lives in our oceans? How powerful is water? What is life without water? How can we protect our planet’s water? The answers offer many vocabulary words clearly explained in the energetic text. The book’s endpapers reveal fascinating water facts. To illustrate the book, the author/artist sprinkled, dripped, and thinned acrylic paints with water. Approximately ten liters (2.6 gallons) of water were used to create the book’s gorgeous artwork. 
Narrated by a young refugee, this beautiful and realistic picture book tells about having to leave home and the healing power of hope. The girl and her mother used to live in an apartment with a star-shaped lamp in their window. In their new country, everything is different – the language, their apartment, and the food. One day, the mother brings home art supplies so that they can make a cardboard star just like the one they had back home. That helps to make their new place feel a little more like home. The penultimate page shows the girl with a new friend, both carrying their musical instruments. The mostly blue and yellow illustrations were created with hand drawn contours and Photoshop. An author’s note explains that the book was inspired by Desnitskaya’s experience leaving Russia after the start of the Ukraine War. It is the author’s hope that his book can help children from different countries who have lost their homes to start loving the place where they were forced to be. 
OmniLibros 