The Skull by Jon Klassen

 Jon Klassen is an author/illustrator of children's picture books. His books are unexpected and surprising and just really good. In 2013 he won the Caldecott Medal as the author/illustrator of This is Not My Hat and in 2015 an Caldecott Honor as the illustrator of Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett. 

Over the holidays I was in a bookstore browsing with my son (an activity I need to do much more often) and saw this book by Klassen. I immediately picked it up added it to my "look for it at my public library list". This book is more of a chapter book format and not so much like a picture book. It is a very quick read, just 103 pages, with not a lot of text on each page. He took this from a Tyrolean Folktale. Tyrol is state in Austria, so it's essentially an Austrian tale. He put his own spin on it and includes in the Author's Note how his story differs from the original tale. 

The story left me with lots of questions that I discussed with two of my boys as they read it as well. But I don't believe a good book should give you all the answers, just lead you to imagine and discuss the possibilities. 

Recommend: yes please!

Children's fiction, illustrations, runaway girl, skeleton. 

A Hidden Magic by Vivian Vande Velde

 Christmas morning as a child always had my father receiving a book and him reading and finishing the book on Christmas Day. Like father, like daughter. My sister gave me this book, which I have read in the distant past, and which I was all too happy to read again today. Vivian Vande Velde is a favorite of my fantasy authors. It's a quick read, but oh so enjoyable. 

This story mixes bits of many fairy tales: Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk, to name a few. Like all fairy tales it has a moral and a nice one at that. Don't judge a book (or a person) by it's cover. 

Recommend: yes.

Children's fiction, fantasy, forest, magic.