For the kids looking for more dark and twisted tales, Erika is here to bring you a middle grade scare!

Otilla is a young girl running away from a very bad place. As she is escaping her past, she comes across a house in the woods, and in the house resides a skull. No body, just skull! As Otilla and the skull befriend each other, we learn the skull has a secret. Can Otilla and the skull survive the night?

This story will leave you lingering with some questions including what could have been so awful for Otilla to run away from that she finds comfort in a talking skull? Despite this being a shorter read, there were multiple moments of complete shock. I question sometimes who really are the villains in this book? Otilla has a casually disturbing aura that is reminiscent of Wednesday Addams. She reminds me of the toddlers who will pick the creepiest prop from the Halloween store as their favorite doll to carry around everywhere (I have to admit, I too am a fan of Creepy Chloe). Kids who are fans of Coraline or The Nightmare Before Christmas are sure to enjoy The Skull.