Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this follow-up to Skelly the Skeleton Girl, the cadaverous "Skelly," who sports prominent eyelashes and a decorative bat in her orange hair, and her dog, Femur, are alarmed when their possessions go missing, including the buttons from Skelly's dress, Femur's bone and items belonging to the other residents of Skelly's mansion. "My umbrella is missing. Now I must stay indoors," declares a cranky coffin dweller with bat-shaped glasses. The duo is "stumped," until a noise in the attic leads them to the answer. The story itself jump-cuts rapidly between spooky locations, but Pickering's gothic-cute illustrations exude personality. Ages 4-7. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-The girl and dog from Skelly the Skeleton Girl (S & S, 2007) are back for another spooky story. This time, the inhabitants of the haunted house are missing several items-Femur's bone, Skelly's buttons, some spoons, an umbrella, dishes, and a rusty anchor. They hear strange noises in the attic and discover that a mouse dressed as a mad scientist has used their belongings to invent a cheese-making machine. He invites them to share his creation, and they all make a new friend. As in the first book, Pickering's mixed-media illustrations feature a black and purple color scheme with Tim Burton-esque characters and a setting that may appeal to children who like to get a little bit scared. Although there isn't much of a story, this book will probably appeal to fans of the previous outing.-Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Skelly the skeleton girl, of the eponymous 2007 book, has lost her buttons. Her dog Femur has lost his bone. Her Venus flytraps have lost their spoons. The little ghoul-girl, hair in a bat-shaped bow, explores the house from bottom to top (with an unexplained diversion to the deep sea to investigate a sea monster's lost anchor) and discovers that everyone has lost something. But in the attic? A mouse has used the purloined items to make an elaborate cheese machine. This flimsy excuse for a plot seems to exists only to support a series of elaborate, Tim Burtonesque tableaux. Kids may enjoy the baroque illustrations of this peculiar undead family, but they're unlikely to ask for it more than once. (Picture book. 3-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
