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Mischievous, monosyllabic skeleton kids star in new illustrated adventure
Rhode Montijo holds up early paper doll versions of the Skeletown characters Skully and Skelly.
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Ashley Balderrama
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LAist
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Los Angeles author and artist Rhode Montijo’s newest picture book takes readers on another (mis)adventure through the Día de los Muertos-inspired land of Skeletown.
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Mischievous, monosyllabic skeleton kids star in new illustrated adventure
Part of the Skeletown series’ charm is that the calavera kids’ adventures are narrated with just two Spanish words. The second book, Más. ¡Menos!, is a delightful tale of excess (más!) and humorous mishaps (menos) that readers who speak any language can understand.
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Growing up, Montijo’s family assembled a “makeshift ofrenda” for Día de los Muertos. “It was remembering our loved ones,” he says. “Putting out things that they enjoyed in their lives when they were alive and just celebrating them.”
Visit Montijo's studio with LAist: It’s Always Spooky Season For This Los Angeles Children’s Book Author
For years, Montijo unsuccessfully pitched a children’s book inspired by the celebration’s imagery and his travels in Mexico. That changed in 2023 with the publication of Skeletown: Sí. ¡No!
Más. ¡Menos! is the second book in the series and a third, Hola. ¡Adiós!, is due out next year.
“My hope is that anybody could read it and anybody can get a giggle out of it,” Montijo says.
Meet the author
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Montijo will have a booth at the Anaheim Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 26.
- Location: Anaheim Center Street Promenade
- Time: Festival 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parade starts at 7 p.m.
- Parking: Multiple structures including: Center City Parking— CarPark3, Anaheim Parking Center—CarPark4,
and Center Street Parking Garage.
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