A perfect nonfiction Halloween read, this book combines just the right amount of spooky and creepy with real facts about the role of a skull. The lighthearted illustrations by Scott Campbell, the illustrator of Hug Machine, are breezy and fun.

The text is fun to read aloud and gives kids accessible ways of thinking about skulls. For example, I loved the analogy that a skull is like a carseat for your brain.

And the book will encourage kids to take care of their skulls by wearing bike helmets.

That’s anything but a scary message!

Skulls by Blair Thornburgh, illustrated by Scott Campbell. (Atheneum: 2019)