--- product_id: 482907482 title: "The Skull: A Spooky Illustrated Adventure Story about Friendship and Courage for Kids Ages 6–9 – A Stylish Gothic Gift from the Bestselling Creator of This Is Not My Hat" price: "$42.10" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/482907482-the-skull-a-spooky-illustrated-adventure-story-about-friendship-courage store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # Caldecott Medalist Illustrations Perfect spooky-but-gentle tone NYT Bestseller #1 The Skull: A Spooky Illustrated Adventure Story about Friendship and Courage for Kids Ages 6–9 – A Stylish Gothic Gift from the Bestselling Creator of This Is Not My Hat **Price:** $42.10 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 👻 Unlock the magic of spooky friendship—where courage meets charm! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Skull: A Spooky Illustrated Adventure Story about Friendship and Courage for Kids Ages 6–9 – A Stylish Gothic Gift from the Bestselling Creator of This Is Not My Hat - **How much does it cost?** $42.10 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/482907482-the-skull-a-spooky-illustrated-adventure-story-about-friendship-courage) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Ideal for Family Bonding:** A suspenseful but gentle read-aloud experience that sparks curiosity and meaningful conversations. - • **Perfect Age-Targeted Read:** Crafted specifically for independent readers ages 6–9, balancing spooky intrigue with comforting themes. - • **Award-Winning Storytelling:** From Jon Klassen, Caldecott Medalist and bestselling author, delivering a masterclass in eerie yet heartwarming narrative. - • **Stunning Gothic Illustrations:** Expressive, textured artwork that creates a mysterious atmosphere without overwhelming young readers. - • **Empowering Themes of Friendship & Courage:** A unique folktale adaptation that inspires bravery and kindness in every page turn. ## Overview The Skull is a #1 New York Times bestselling children's book by Jon Klassen, blending gothic charm with gentle storytelling for ages 6–9. Featuring hauntingly beautiful illustrations and a heartwarming narrative about friendship and courage, it’s perfect for young independent readers and families seeking a spooky yet reassuring read. Praised for its balance of mystery and warmth, this book is a stylish, high-quality gift that stands out in children’s literature. ## Description A #1 New York Times bestseller! “Reading this, I accidentally rediscovered the power of a good story.” Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Waterstones Children’s Laureate 2024–2026 From Jon Klassen, Caldecott Medalist and bestselling creator of This Is Not My Hat , comes a wonderfully eerie yet gentle Halloween story perfect for ages 6–9. On a dark night, a girl named Otilla stumbles across a lonely, abandoned house deep in the forest. Inside waits a skull – who has a secret of its own. Together, they face the shadows that arrive each night… and discover the strength that comes from courage and kindness. With Klassen’s signature dry humour, hauntingly beautiful illustrations and a touch of deliciously spooky fun, The Skull is ideal for kids who like their stories mysterious but not too scary. Parents can feel reassured: while this gothic folktale has a shiver of creepiness, it ends with strength, empowerment and a reminder that even the strangest friendships can be the most comforting. Perfect for: - Independent readers ages 6–9 - Families looking for a suspenseful but not-too-scary read-aloud - Fans of spooky folktales with a twist of wit and charm “A mysterious, exquisitely presented gothic tale.” Sunday Times " Haunting and charming. A dark, delectable adventure." Daily Telegraph "Strange and deliciously creepy, this is the perfect read for children who like something a bit different." Irish independent ‘The Best Spooky and Sweet Autumn Reads for Children Review: A hauntingly gentle story that balances spooky charm with warmth and heart - The Skull is a wonderfully unusual children’s book - an adaptation of an old folktale the author encountered years ago while in Alaska. It tells the story of a young girl who runs away and befriends a skull, and while that premise sounds dark on the surface, the story is anything but grim. It’s a thoughtful, slightly eerie adventure about friendship, courage and finding comfort in unexpected places. The tone is perfectly balanced, just spooky enough to capture a child’s imagination, but never unsettling. My seven-year-old daughter loved it immediately; the blend of mystery and kindness struck exactly the right note for her age. It’s the kind of story that sparks curiosity rather than fear, and one that invites discussion both during and after reading. The illustrations are stunning - expressive, textured and full of atmosphere. They complement the narrative beautifully, helping to create a world that feels both strange and inviting. The book itself is also lovely to hold, with high production values that make it a pleasure to read and display. One of the most interesting parts comes after the story, in the author’s own notes. He explains how he partly forgot the original folktale and reimagined it over time - a reminder of how stories evolve as they’re passed from person to person, and how our memories shape the tales we tell. It’s a beautiful reflection that adds another layer of meaning to the book. Review: Amazing!! Funny, slightly dark, yet heart-warming. Can't recommend enough for 7-9 year olds! - This book is awesome!! We have another (That is not my Hat) by the same author which we also love but is much shorter. Very mildly dark - this is a wonderful fairytail-esque story that genuinely made me (as an adult) and my son (8 y/o) laugh. We loved the setting and the fact that there is no back story and that some questions are left unanswered. It's intriguing and fun, and really harks to a world where you can tell fun, mildly nonsensical stories just because. There's one page where a character is about to get pushed (mild spoiler.. sorry!) and you just know what's coming up on the next page. Honestly, I laughed out loud when I first saw it - how you manage to create that moment with a hand drawn image is still beyond me! Having said that though, it's also heart-warming with a lovely ending emphasising friendship. Only takes 2-3 nights to read as a bedtime story but we've read it many times. Fantastic!! ## Features - New Store Stock ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 28,090 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 16 in Children's Books on Runaways 45 in Ghost Stories for Children (Books) 48 in Children's Books on Halloween | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 373 Reviews | ## Images ![The Skull: A Spooky Illustrated Adventure Story about Friendship and Courage for Kids Ages 6–9 – A Stylish Gothic Gift from the Bestselling Creator of This Is Not My Hat - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/916XTYT-x5L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A hauntingly gentle story that balances spooky charm with warmth and heart *by C***Y on 4 November 2025* The Skull is a wonderfully unusual children’s book - an adaptation of an old folktale the author encountered years ago while in Alaska. It tells the story of a young girl who runs away and befriends a skull, and while that premise sounds dark on the surface, the story is anything but grim. It’s a thoughtful, slightly eerie adventure about friendship, courage and finding comfort in unexpected places. The tone is perfectly balanced, just spooky enough to capture a child’s imagination, but never unsettling. My seven-year-old daughter loved it immediately; the blend of mystery and kindness struck exactly the right note for her age. It’s the kind of story that sparks curiosity rather than fear, and one that invites discussion both during and after reading. The illustrations are stunning - expressive, textured and full of atmosphere. They complement the narrative beautifully, helping to create a world that feels both strange and inviting. The book itself is also lovely to hold, with high production values that make it a pleasure to read and display. One of the most interesting parts comes after the story, in the author’s own notes. He explains how he partly forgot the original folktale and reimagined it over time - a reminder of how stories evolve as they’re passed from person to person, and how our memories shape the tales we tell. It’s a beautiful reflection that adds another layer of meaning to the book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing!! Funny, slightly dark, yet heart-warming. Can't recommend enough for 7-9 year olds! *by S***S on 8 February 2025* This book is awesome!! We have another (That is not my Hat) by the same author which we also love but is much shorter. Very mildly dark - this is a wonderful fairytail-esque story that genuinely made me (as an adult) and my son (8 y/o) laugh. We loved the setting and the fact that there is no back story and that some questions are left unanswered. It's intriguing and fun, and really harks to a world where you can tell fun, mildly nonsensical stories just because. There's one page where a character is about to get pushed (mild spoiler.. sorry!) and you just know what's coming up on the next page. Honestly, I laughed out loud when I first saw it - how you manage to create that moment with a hand drawn image is still beyond me! Having said that though, it's also heart-warming with a lovely ending emphasising friendship. Only takes 2-3 nights to read as a bedtime story but we've read it many times. Fantastic!! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A gorgeous, spooky read with lovely illustrations *by M***A on 31 August 2023* A little girl, Otilla, is running away through the woods and she comes across a castle with a very unusual inhabitant – a skull. The skull is rather hospitable, but also afraid of something… I can’t divulge more, because the story is short and I don’t want to spoil it. It is spooky and slightly macabre, in a way I feel will appeal to the target audience, but also sweet, and cosy, and beautiful. Oh, my God, is it beautiful! Jon Klassen does the illustrations himself and the ones in this book are gorgeous. The colour palette is stunning and the composition and perspective are honestly breathtaking. On his Instagram page jonklassen shows some of the process he used for the perspective in those images – by using Lego structures, which was really cool to see. 🏰 The story itself is written in a simple language that sometimes also introduces humour to the story, and I liked how it added another layer to it. In the afterword, the author explains that it is his take on an old Tyrolean folktale he once read in Alaska, and he shares a lovely anecdote about the power of librarians! I have read the original tale, and whilst Klassen’s version is definitely darker, I revel in the beauty of his illustrations and how his take doesn’t necessarily focus on the why and how, but on the moods and feelings of the characters. This was definitely a stand-out read for me this year! ## Frequently Bought Together - The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale - Jon Klassen's Hat Box: I Want My Hat Back / This Is Not My Hat / We Found a Hat: 1 - How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?: An original Christmas comedy from the team behind the Shape Trilogy and the creator of I Want My Hat Back --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/482907482-the-skull-a-spooky-illustrated-adventure-story-about-friendship-courage](https://www.desertcart.us/products/482907482-the-skull-a-spooky-illustrated-adventure-story-about-friendship-courage) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-07-09*