The Skeleton and the Cat

The Skeleton and the Cat

Brandon James Scott
$19.99
Publish Date:
Publisher:
HarperCollins
ISBN:
9780063455887
Pages:
64
Age Range:
4 - 8
Grade Range:
P - 3
Language:
English
Usually Ships in 1 to 5 Days

An absolute delight! The funny banter between Skeleton and Cat is equally matched by the adorable illustrations. This is a wonderful tale of friendship but just a so-so manual for sandwich eating. Loved it!

Nancy Baenen, Arcadia Books, Spring Green, WI
July/August 2026 Kids Indie Next List

Description

A #1 INDIE BESTSELLER! SIX STARRED REVIEWS!

A humorous and touching tale of the unexpected friendship that blossoms between a peaceful skeleton and a persistent cat. Told in five short and charming stories that will remind you of Frog and Toad.

Skeleton lives alone in lonesome bliss. She reads books, drinks tea, and tends to her garden. It's simple and peaceful. Until, one day, a cat knocks on the Skeleton's door...
"Can I come in?" asks the Cat.
Readers and cat lovers of all ages will adore this surprising duo who is sure to convince you that skeletons are gardeners, cats tell good-ish jokes, and, together, they make the best of friends.

"Funny, vibrant, and surprisingly tender—in short, everything a good friendship should be." - Kirkus (starred review)

About the Author

Brandon James Scott is an award-winning Canadian artist who works in animation and illustrates books. He is the illustrator of over 10 picture books, including The Dog Who Wanted to Fly, a Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens of 2018, and A Bear, a Fish, and a Fishy Wish, which was selected for the 2024 Society of Illustrators’ Original Art Exhibition. He is also an Emmy Award–nominated creator of the Canadian preschool television series Justin Time and is an animation director with over ten years’ experience in the animation industry. The Skeleton and the Cat is based on his original Dead Cat art series, which has garnered wide attention on social media. Brandon lives with his family in Toronto, Canada.



Brandon James Scott is an award-winning Canadian artist who works in animation and illustrates books. He is the illustrator of over 10 picture books, including The Dog Who Wanted to Fly, a Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens of 2018, and A Bear, a Fish, and a Fishy Wish, which was selected for the 2024 Society of Illustrators’ Original Art Exhibition. He is also an Emmy Award–nominated creator of the Canadian preschool television series Justin Time and is an animation director with over ten years’ experience in the animation industry. The Skeleton and the Cat is based on his original Dead Cat art series, which has garnered wide attention on social media. Brandon lives with his family in Toronto, Canada.

Praise for The Skeleton and the Cat

Funny, vibrant, and surprisingly tender—in short, everything a good friendship should be. - Kirkus (starred review)

A friendship story with a bona fide funny bone—and soul to spare. - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

[T]ender and visually radiant, [it] will make readers hope for more stories with this winning partnership. - Shelf Awareness (starred review)

This early reader[‘s] straightforward tone and direct sentences tell a simple story of friendship with a clipped wit. What is not said in the text is fully articulated in the stunningly expressive digital illustrations that deploy small visual cues to amplify the humor. - BCCB (starred review)

Scott’s author-illustrator debut is reminiscent of buddy stories like Mo Willems' quirky Elephant and Piggie and the beloved classic Frog and Toad, and has the potential to garner the same following as those lauded pairs. A surefire hit for kids who appreciate both the macabre and the softness of pastel florals. - Booklist (starred review)

[A] buddy comedy with plenty of sweetness, [g]enerously and colorfully illustrated. - Horn Book (starred review)

A tender and whimsical friendship story buoyed by its beguiling art and gently spooky protagonists. - School Library Journal