While this title isn’t new this year, it’s such a perennial favorite of ours that we didn’t dare leave it off our list!

A retelling of a classic Tyrolean (i.e., from the Austrian state of Tyrol) folktale, THE SKULL tells the tale of a lonely talking skull living in an abandoned manor, and the little girl who becomes its unexpected friend.

Fans of Jon Klassen’s iconic deadpan comic delivery and artwork can’t miss this chapter book, which weaves together all of the above with a delightfully empowering yet nonetheless darkly humorous tone.

Thanks so much to our pals at Candlewick for sending us a copy of this one!