"Feel these teeth, cool and smooth, chisel-sharp?
They were my tools.
I was the tree cutter, the builder."
Six creatures are featured in this book about animals, their skulls, and what can be learned by studying them. A group of hikers head out and make stops along the way to consider the skulls they notice as they go. The first has hollows where eyes once were, and four pointedly sharp teeth ... two on top and two on the bottom. A page turn shows a lynx on the lookout, while the background shows an earlier winter encounter with a swift white hare.
"I was."
There is a lot to discover while spending time in natural settings. The design remains the same with every turn of the page, The skulls are shown on blue backgrounds that hint at the setting, with plenty of white space to allow a clear look at the descriptive text. Each skull discovered offers clues, if studied carefully, and the written reference to its past existence. Allowing readers (or listeners) time to consider both the visual art and penned description may result in their ability to identify who it is before moving forward. If so, they will be keen to try it again. Both the behaviors of the creatures and their keen senses help define who they once were.
Digital illustrations are detailed to show how the skull's design helps define their past lives and behaviors. Backmatter includes a labelled human skull with an explanation that most skulls are similar in the parts they exhibit and how each is used. Readers are encouraged to return to the skulls to take a closer look and see what other stories they might tell. The author encourages her readers to explore their own skulls for similarities and differences from the featured creatures. A list of resources is appended.
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