64 pages. Expected pub. date: October 1, 2024 from Yonder. Fiction.
John the Skeleton has found a home with Gramps and Grams in their cottage in the woods after retiring from a classroom. He’s a little broken, so Gramps fixes him up, and his new family gives him something to wear before setting him up in the summer kitchen in an armchair with a little table with a doily on it.
It’s funny, poignant, and very sweet. John is company for, and a comfort to, Gramps and Grams, and participates in life on the farm—like making snow angels, playing with the grandkids when they visit, sauna day, and going to listen to lakesong. He even gets a job at a museum for two months. And he’s there when one of them dies.
The illustrations are delightful, and the limited palette is gorgeous. Heartwarming, and highly recommended.
Thanks to Yonder and Edelweiss for early access.
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Harare Review of Books 
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