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Magic Shop #4
The Skull of Truth
Now available in a twentieth anniversary edition, this modern classic has been given a new afterword by the author and stunning new jacket art by Tony DiTerlizzi.
Charlie Eggleston is the biggest liar in town. But after he steals The Skull, he finds he can only tell the truth--and now no one believes him!
• Children's Choice Award Nominee (in seven states)
• A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
• School Librarians International Honor Book
Charlie Eggleston is the biggest liar in town. But after he steals The Skull, he finds he can only tell the truth--and now no one believes him!
• Children's Choice Award Nominee (in seven states)
• A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
• School Librarians International Honor Book
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1997
32 people are currently reading
689 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
August 5, 2011
Good children's books deserves to be read by adults as well. If it's really good, the story will appeal to readers of any age. If it's downright excellent, it can re-awaken the child within for the space it takes to read the book. Maybe it's because I went to a pre-school run on the system of Maria Montessori, whose watchword was 'follow the child', but I can't help but see that as a beneficial exercise.
Bruce Coville is a prolific American writer of fiction for children whom I first discovered in my 20s, with the 'My Teacher Is An Alien' books. I was impressed by how real and believable his characters are, children, grown-ups and aliens, how well his imagination conjures up situations and settings that invoke a sense of wonder and how he handles larger messages and themes in a way that's not preachy or intrusive and alive to the many sides of any given issue. Most of all, I was taken by Coville's obvious joy in the art of storytelling.
In this book, Coville tackles one of the big issues any fictioneer has to grapple with at some point: truth. When Charles Egglestone stumbles into a mysterious shop and winds up shoplifting a talking skull, he finds that the skull's magical powers have made it impossible for him to lie anymore. At first, disaster follows, because the truth is not always the convenient or even the right thing to blurt out. Gradually, he gains a deeper, richer sense of what truth is all about, how it can be found both in fact and fiction and how it can be used for good, although it is in itself morally neutral. I was particularly glad that Coville keeps that last point very clearly in sight. Truthfulness isn't a magic key to virtue - it's still up to us to keep our eyes open and work out the ethics of everything we do. I can think of vast tomes written for a putatively grown-up audience that miss this point.
That exposition of the books themes probably sounds dry. But this book isn't. It's hilarious, poignant and inventive, and manages to invoke a character from Big Bill Shakespeare's plays - see if you can guess which one - and give him a back- and front-story, if I can put it that way, which is as resonant and memorable as anything from the Bard's plays. I get a real kick out of a piece of fiction that can engage with one of the classics and emerge enriched rather than simply bested by the experience, and the former is certainly the case here. (Neil Gaiman has done this sort of thing well at points in his career - Sandman for instance - and not so well at other points - the Beowulf film). If I had a child between the ages of 7 and 11 at my disposal, I would entreat him or her to read this book. But since I don't, I'm just as happy to have had the chance to read it myself.
Bruce Coville is a prolific American writer of fiction for children whom I first discovered in my 20s, with the 'My Teacher Is An Alien' books. I was impressed by how real and believable his characters are, children, grown-ups and aliens, how well his imagination conjures up situations and settings that invoke a sense of wonder and how he handles larger messages and themes in a way that's not preachy or intrusive and alive to the many sides of any given issue. Most of all, I was taken by Coville's obvious joy in the art of storytelling.
In this book, Coville tackles one of the big issues any fictioneer has to grapple with at some point: truth. When Charles Egglestone stumbles into a mysterious shop and winds up shoplifting a talking skull, he finds that the skull's magical powers have made it impossible for him to lie anymore. At first, disaster follows, because the truth is not always the convenient or even the right thing to blurt out. Gradually, he gains a deeper, richer sense of what truth is all about, how it can be found both in fact and fiction and how it can be used for good, although it is in itself morally neutral. I was particularly glad that Coville keeps that last point very clearly in sight. Truthfulness isn't a magic key to virtue - it's still up to us to keep our eyes open and work out the ethics of everything we do. I can think of vast tomes written for a putatively grown-up audience that miss this point.
That exposition of the books themes probably sounds dry. But this book isn't. It's hilarious, poignant and inventive, and manages to invoke a character from Big Bill Shakespeare's plays - see if you can guess which one - and give him a back- and front-story, if I can put it that way, which is as resonant and memorable as anything from the Bard's plays. I get a real kick out of a piece of fiction that can engage with one of the classics and emerge enriched rather than simply bested by the experience, and the former is certainly the case here. (Neil Gaiman has done this sort of thing well at points in his career - Sandman for instance - and not so well at other points - the Beowulf film). If I had a child between the ages of 7 and 11 at my disposal, I would entreat him or her to read this book. But since I don't, I'm just as happy to have had the chance to read it myself.
October 4, 2019
I was surprised at what a sophisticated examination the story gave about truth. Too much of it often is not a good thing. But too much lying is definitely bad. Charlie visits the magic shop and steals the skull of truth. Much more would spoil the story. Just know the skull forces people around the bearer as well as the bearer to tell the truth. The story is on the simple side. The message is pretty sophisticated. Recommended!
June 25, 2008
Another fun book about the mysteries and magic that a boy finds in Mr. Elives's Magic Shop. While I enjoyed it, I didn't like this one quite as much as the others. I'm not sure why--possibly the "messages" are more obvious, or maybe it was more serious than the others. It's still good, just not a favorite of mine.
July 13, 2015
This is not one of my favorites of Bruce Coville. I read this with my daughter who was 9 at the time because she liked the other books in the series. However, I am glad that I read it with her because the author threw in a homosexual uncle. I really wasn't ready to talk about this issue with my daughter and I was upset that there wasn't any sort of warning on this book. Needless to say I did some creative editing while reading it to her. Wish I had known ahead of time. It's too bad because there were other aspects of the story that were really good.
June 1, 2018
I feel like this one was trying a lot harder than the others. There were just too many awkward “this is important to talk about” moments, which Are important to talk about, but maybe not all in one 192-page children’s book. He covered: the importance of truth, protecting the environment, the downsides (and some upsides...kind of) of industrialization, childhood cancer, gay love, every family has secrets, and probably a few other big topics I have forgotten. It just all seemed stretched thin.
Also, the tie-in with Hamlet seemed a bit much. Explaining the origin in Jennifer Murdley worked. This one seemed like he was trying too hard to make you think “cool origin story!” Meh. It just felt awkward.
Maybe I am getting burned out on these books as I just slammed through 3 in 2 days. I need to still get the last one though, so I’ll have a cooling off period.
Also, the tie-in with Hamlet seemed a bit much. Explaining the origin in Jennifer Murdley worked. This one seemed like he was trying too hard to make you think “cool origin story!” Meh. It just felt awkward.
Maybe I am getting burned out on these books as I just slammed through 3 in 2 days. I need to still get the last one though, so I’ll have a cooling off period.
February 4, 2019
I read this book aloud with my boys and it was another enjoyable installment in the Magic Shop series. It had a lot of good lessons to teach about the truth and why it's important and the story had a fair amount of suspense in it, though some kids might find parts a little scary. The ending felt a little rushed and the story dealt with some topics that were a little heavier than you would expect in a kids' novel so we glossed over some parts since my boys are only 6, maybe we'll re-read it for those parts when they're a little older.
April 9, 2021
LFL find. 3.5 stars but just can't justify rounding to 4 as it's a little too facile. But it's also both funny and thought-provoking, and I will look for others in the 'series.' (I'm pretty sure they don't need to be read in any particular order.)
August 16, 2023
A delightful little story delightfully told about, well, truth. Not just the value of truth but also the subtleties and variations of truth. Bruce Coville and his troupe of readers make it so much fun we don’t even realize we’ve just been moralized at. Or have we??
August 11, 2009
This book was very good, but contained adult themes that I was shocked to find. That is why I gave it a 3. Not for children under 13!
December 18, 2024
Truth. To say or not to say, that is the question.
How many of us actually speak the truth? Or better than that, how often do we lie? I have to say, I lie on a daily basis (yes they are small, and harmless, but they are still lies).
This book has a good concept and here I would like to quote Francis Bacon "Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the price of a diamond, or carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights. A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure". This quote pretty much sums up the message of this book.
Now, factoring the super cool title (The Skull of Truth); how cool was the idea of this book? I mean this guy turned a prop in the Hamlet's play into the coolest thing on earth. So the idea is a 20 out of 10 for me.
Plot development and characters were all amazing as well.
If I could complain of one thing, it would be that I needed Charlie and Jennifer to meet and talk. Yeah I just need more Jennifer in general, even though this is not her book.
*I have to confess that I ship Charlie with Jennifer in secret, although I know that Charlie likes someone else*
Also, I need a sequel about Charlie and his mission. I need more of the magic shop and I'm certain it's never going to happen which makes me sad.
Love this book with all my heart 100 out 10 stars :)
How many of us actually speak the truth? Or better than that, how often do we lie? I have to say, I lie on a daily basis (yes they are small, and harmless, but they are still lies).
This book has a good concept and here I would like to quote Francis Bacon "Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the price of a diamond, or carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights. A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure". This quote pretty much sums up the message of this book.
Now, factoring the super cool title (The Skull of Truth); how cool was the idea of this book? I mean this guy turned a prop in the Hamlet's play into the coolest thing on earth. So the idea is a 20 out of 10 for me.
Plot development and characters were all amazing as well.
If I could complain of one thing, it would be that I needed Charlie and Jennifer to meet and talk. Yeah I just need more Jennifer in general, even though this is not her book.
*I have to confess that I ship Charlie with Jennifer in secret, although I know that Charlie likes someone else*
Also, I need a sequel about Charlie and his mission. I need more of the magic shop and I'm certain it's never going to happen which makes me sad.
Love this book with all my heart 100 out 10 stars :)
June 30, 2015
My daughter's summer workbook had this listed as a recommended book to read about honesty. My other daughter saw it on the list and ordered it and lucky she did or we would have never discovered this author. When ithe book arrived at the library, I was intrigued. Upon reading the back cover description, I decided I better preview it so my younger kid wouldn't be scared reading it. I do think she will be spooked by it. I am not worried about the mature topics brought up in the book as we encourage lots of discussion in our home. Overall, the topics are handled acceptably and because it happens within the family, it is likely to spawn some discussions of its own about family secrets. I was definitely curious to read to the end and discover how Charlie is going to handle the situations he gets himself into. Loyalty and kindness matter and the situation with the bully is more likely to be something my own kids would encounter. It is good to see there are two sides to a story (at least) and that something that went afoul previously can be turned around once a dialog is begun. The Note from the Author is worth reading too.
August 9, 2022
The Skull of Truth by Bruce Coville follows the story of a boy named Charlie who lies about almost anything and everything and is bullied by his enemy Mark Evans whose father plans to drain the Tucker Swamp for his own profit.
One day, he enters Mr. Elive's Shop of Magic and before he knew it, he ended up stealing a mysterious and creepy looking skull from the shop which turned out to be The Skull of Truth and Charlie now can't lie anymore.
The author did a brilliant job of conveying the importance of truth and the menace lies spread all the while keeping it simple and somewhat hilarious at points. Yorick as the skull was an absolute blast and the way author incorporated Shakespeare's Hamlet in the story was pure brilliance.
I wasn't expecting to like this tbh but I ended up giving it a solid 4 stars on the basis of the intended audience and the effortless flow of story. "Truth" and Yorick being left with him at the end gave the book a bit of a sci-fi feel which was amazing in itself.
One day, he enters Mr. Elive's Shop of Magic and before he knew it, he ended up stealing a mysterious and creepy looking skull from the shop which turned out to be The Skull of Truth and Charlie now can't lie anymore.
The author did a brilliant job of conveying the importance of truth and the menace lies spread all the while keeping it simple and somewhat hilarious at points. Yorick as the skull was an absolute blast and the way author incorporated Shakespeare's Hamlet in the story was pure brilliance.
I wasn't expecting to like this tbh but I ended up giving it a solid 4 stars on the basis of the intended audience and the effortless flow of story. "Truth" and Yorick being left with him at the end gave the book a bit of a sci-fi feel which was amazing in itself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2020
Charlie is a liar. He meets the Skull of Truth and is cursed to always tell the truth, and his life changes in unexpected ways. Telling the truth gets him into a lot of trouble, and the curse begins to affect other people around him.
I didn't enjoy this book as much as some of the others in the Magic Shop series. I thought some of the plot points didn't quite fit in with the rest of the story. There were some radical leftist political ideas that I didn't agree with. I was surprised to find them in a children's book.
I was pleased to find that the skull himself is not scary at all. He's a humorous and silly character, and there's nothing frightening or creepy about him other than the fact that he's a skull.
There are some funny bits of dialogue, and some interesting character development. The plot is all over the place though, and I didn't really connect with any of the characters.
It's a good story, but not amazing.
I didn't enjoy this book as much as some of the others in the Magic Shop series. I thought some of the plot points didn't quite fit in with the rest of the story. There were some radical leftist political ideas that I didn't agree with. I was surprised to find them in a children's book.
I was pleased to find that the skull himself is not scary at all. He's a humorous and silly character, and there's nothing frightening or creepy about him other than the fact that he's a skull.
There are some funny bits of dialogue, and some interesting character development. The plot is all over the place though, and I didn't really connect with any of the characters.
It's a good story, but not amazing.
February 20, 2025
This is a book I read with my 8th graders! I love that my job is reading books with kids!! It’s about a kid named Charlie who has a hard time telling the truth, no body believes him not even his family sometimes. He is getting beat up by kids when he stumbled upon a Mr. Elives Magic Shop. He wants to call home to tell his family he will be late when he sees a skull that intrigues him. The next thing you know he’s running out of the magic shop with the skull in hand. Little did he know this skull forces him to say the truth ALL THE TIME! Charlie is trying to save the towns swamp from being drained by his bullies father whose plan is to turn it into an industrial park. Charlie learns a lot about his family, friends, and from the skull of truth because they are forced to say the truth as well. However, something is after the skull Charlie must protect it until he can return it.
June 12, 2022
Reread recently. Still thought it was just as good as when I first read it years ago, if not better.
December 2, 2008
Charlie Eggelston should have never belived what his Uncle Bennie told him about toads: "Put a toad into your mouth, count to one hundred, and you'll be able to talk toad talk!"
Well, Charlie foolishly believes him.
Charlie's friend, Gilbert Dawkins, finds a toad. With Mark Evans--another friend of Charlie--by his side, he tells them what his Uncle Bennie said about toads. Gilbert thinks that it is ridicluos, but sly Mark tricks him into doing it anyway.
Popping the toad into his mouth, Gilbert begins to count.
One of the teachers, Miss Pitwing, rushes over to make him stop. When he does, she demands to know why he did it.
"Well, C-Chalie told me if I put the toad in my mouth, I'd be able to talk to it." mumbled Gilbert.
Turning to Charlie, Miss Pitwing growles, "Is this true?"
Chalie nodded his head, but then added, "Mark said it, too."
"I did not!" yelled Mark.
"Lair!"
In the end, Gilbert and Mark get away. Only Charlie gets into trouble. He gets into trouble with everyone. His parents. Mark's parents. The teachers. Gilbert's parents.
But that was only the beginning.
A few years later Charlie still hasn't broken the habbit: he has fallen into a nasty habbit of lying. He lies about everything and everyone. One of those lies gets him into trouble that will change his life. Forever.
Mark and Charlie used to be good frineds, but over the years they'd become enemies. Running from Mark and his gang, Charlie wades through Tucker's Swamp to escape. But suddenly, he finds himself in a dense part of the swamp he has never been in before. Walking along, he discoveres a magical shop run by a man who called himself "Mr. Elvies."
Behind the counter is a skull.
Asking the skull a directed question can be deadly. Unfortunaetly, that's just what Charlie does!
Charlie feels a sudden urge to posses the skull. He steals it before he can stop himself!
Bringing it home, he embarks on the adventure of two lifetimes when the skull talks to him and tells him the meaning of truth.
I loved this book. The meaning was clear, and written in a wonderful way. However, the author didn't write on every single page "Tell the truth!", but intead hid it inside the plot and dialoge. I thought this book was wonderful and very funny. How did the athuor come up with all those jokes?! The characters were also very lifelike. I think it was also very exciting.
Well, Charlie foolishly believes him.
Charlie's friend, Gilbert Dawkins, finds a toad. With Mark Evans--another friend of Charlie--by his side, he tells them what his Uncle Bennie said about toads. Gilbert thinks that it is ridicluos, but sly Mark tricks him into doing it anyway.
Popping the toad into his mouth, Gilbert begins to count.
One of the teachers, Miss Pitwing, rushes over to make him stop. When he does, she demands to know why he did it.
"Well, C-Chalie told me if I put the toad in my mouth, I'd be able to talk to it." mumbled Gilbert.
Turning to Charlie, Miss Pitwing growles, "Is this true?"
Chalie nodded his head, but then added, "Mark said it, too."
"I did not!" yelled Mark.
"Lair!"
In the end, Gilbert and Mark get away. Only Charlie gets into trouble. He gets into trouble with everyone. His parents. Mark's parents. The teachers. Gilbert's parents.
But that was only the beginning.
A few years later Charlie still hasn't broken the habbit: he has fallen into a nasty habbit of lying. He lies about everything and everyone. One of those lies gets him into trouble that will change his life. Forever.
Mark and Charlie used to be good frineds, but over the years they'd become enemies. Running from Mark and his gang, Charlie wades through Tucker's Swamp to escape. But suddenly, he finds himself in a dense part of the swamp he has never been in before. Walking along, he discoveres a magical shop run by a man who called himself "Mr. Elvies."
Behind the counter is a skull.
Asking the skull a directed question can be deadly. Unfortunaetly, that's just what Charlie does!
Charlie feels a sudden urge to posses the skull. He steals it before he can stop himself!
Bringing it home, he embarks on the adventure of two lifetimes when the skull talks to him and tells him the meaning of truth.
I loved this book. The meaning was clear, and written in a wonderful way. However, the author didn't write on every single page "Tell the truth!", but intead hid it inside the plot and dialoge. I thought this book was wonderful and very funny. How did the athuor come up with all those jokes?! The characters were also very lifelike. I think it was also very exciting.
June 23, 2019
The newest of the series that I could get from Libby. Published in 1999 it talks about folks being gay in a way that is pretty close normal to how things are approached now, which was wild and great. Big theme in this one is death and loss and truth. Woof. Good though.
August 25, 2021
I'm honestly tempted to give this one 5 Stars... We'll see if I convince myself to do it. I loved this book, though. Surprising depth in such a short work. Also, I love that the main character learns so much, but doesn't change an unrealistic amount in a short time. It's refreshing to see a fictional character struggle with some of the truths that come his way. There are some potentially heavy themes covered here, but the brevity gives them potency without making them depressing or overbearing. Alright. I've convinced me. 5 it is.
On my second reading, I'd probably drop it to 4-stars. ;) The writing is very simple (I did just read a book by Madeline L'engle, though who makes the simple sublime, so I'm not sure that's fair); however, it's still a surprisingly compelling look at truth's many facets. I really do love how Coville handled some of the discoveries he comes across. There's some lovely storytelling in his realistic reactions to things he's not totally sure about yet. Good stuff.
On my second reading, I'd probably drop it to 4-stars. ;) The writing is very simple (I did just read a book by Madeline L'engle, though who makes the simple sublime, so I'm not sure that's fair); however, it's still a surprisingly compelling look at truth's many facets. I really do love how Coville handled some of the discoveries he comes across. There's some lovely storytelling in his realistic reactions to things he's not totally sure about yet. Good stuff.
August 30, 2009
Skull of the truth is about, this boy name Charlie Eggleston that lies a lot. He lies to his mom he lies to his family. So one day he went to Mr. Elivs magic shop and took this skull that wasn't his. but the skull makes people tell the truth and he didn't know that. But also it makes his life a hard time because if he does something bad he would have to tell the truth about it. but it taught the boy a lesson.
I would give this book a text to world because people need to learn there lessons about liers. Also never
steal from people or stores. Another thing is tell the truth.I would also give a text to text connection to a
book called "a Boy who cried Wolf" because the boy was a lier like Charlie.
I gave this book a 3 star because it was good like he did stuff and didn't lie he told the truth. But the
reason i gave this book a 3 star is because it got boring near the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Bruce Coville and people who tell lies.
I would give this book a text to world because people need to learn there lessons about liers. Also never
steal from people or stores. Another thing is tell the truth.I would also give a text to text connection to a
book called "a Boy who cried Wolf" because the boy was a lier like Charlie.
I gave this book a 3 star because it was good like he did stuff and didn't lie he told the truth. But the
reason i gave this book a 3 star is because it got boring near the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Bruce Coville and people who tell lies.
February 25, 2018
Mr. Coville lends his witty touch to this story of an ordinary boy with an excruciating problem. Charlie’s lying tongue forces him into a dangerous situation and he stumbles upon Mr. Elives’s peculiar store with its magical items. The skull he steals is very special and its story is just as lively, funny and touching as Charlie’s.
This book is such lively good fun I finished it in a couple of hours. The ways that Charlie handles and reconciles with his unwanted curse and the ripple effect it has on the people around him make for a fast-paced, spirited reading (no pun intended). It’s also a painful treatise about the importance of truth, delicately applied, in the world. Charlie learns that truth can be complicated, multi-layered and not always a good thing—much like people themselves. It’s a book displaying a young boy’s first steps towards adulthood. So it’s a kid’s book that will also resonate with adults. It’s a reminder of why Mr. Coville remains one of my favorite authors.
This book is such lively good fun I finished it in a couple of hours. The ways that Charlie handles and reconciles with his unwanted curse and the ripple effect it has on the people around him make for a fast-paced, spirited reading (no pun intended). It’s also a painful treatise about the importance of truth, delicately applied, in the world. Charlie learns that truth can be complicated, multi-layered and not always a good thing—much like people themselves. It’s a book displaying a young boy’s first steps towards adulthood. So it’s a kid’s book that will also resonate with adults. It’s a reminder of why Mr. Coville remains one of my favorite authors.
September 23, 2010
I had a great pleasure of reading "The Skull of Truth".It was amazing and very well done.The "Skull of Truth" was written by Bruce Caville. I have heard he has written more books but this was the first one of his that I read. It takes place in the United States at a swamp, called Tucker Swamp. It is mostly about a boy, Charlie, from a big family, who now has to tell the truth. Right from the beginning, when Charlie enters Mr. Elives magic shop and steals a talking skull, you are ready to find out what else happens. The skull forces Charlie to tell the truth and in my opinion the author does this in a way that sounds real. A talking skull may seem strange but it was not. It was funny instead. My final grade would be a 9/10. It loses a perfect score because it had a few boring parts, but go check it out.
April 13, 2015
Charlie learns the hard way that lying doesn't pay. And he is an experienced liar, so much so that he seems to have a golden tongue. One day he stumbles deeper into the swamp, trying to get away from the class bullies, and finds a mysterious magic shop, staffed by an even more mysterious gentleman. He doesn't mean to, but somehow leaves the shop with a skull in his possession--not paid for--and now everything is crazy. The skull talks--and has all the personality of a Broadway comic. Moreover, it claims to be Yorick, the very skull Hamlet once held. But even more strange is the fact that Charlie is compelled to tell the truth, and this gets him into some pretty hot water. Coville writes entertainingly with lively dialogue that moves the story along. While the book is a fantasy, it is also good realistic fiction with some positive messages. 4th grade and up.
January 16, 2017
This juvenile fantasy novel is a delightful story chock full of social issues. Predominantly, it is a tale about lying and telling the truth. Charlie is a boy who lies all the time. One day, he steals a magic skull, although he’s never stolen anything in his life before this. The skull forces the people around it to tell the truth. Of course, telling the truth gets him into as much trouble as lying did, especially since no one really believes him. The skull’s influence also rubs off on the people in Charlie’s life, like his family. So Charlie must navigate his life until he can find a way to part with the skull.
Come visit my blog for the full review…
http://itstartedwiththehugos.blogspot...
Come visit my blog for the full review…
http://itstartedwiththehugos.blogspot...
June 12, 2009
The Skull of Truth is about a boy who lies a lot. One day he goes into the shop and steal this skull that makes him tell the truth. So everything he says makes his life worse and he gets in trouble for that. Then he learns to always tell the truth.
I connect to this book because well everyone has lied before. Its not good to lie and if you lie it means you don't believe in yourself. Sometimes is good to lie for a good reason. So its not the best thing to lie and its not bad either.
I gave this book 2 stars. I gave this book 2 stars because well it got boring. This book wasn't the best but it wasn't that bad so i gave it 2 stars. This book was like a little cool i guess...
I connect to this book because well everyone has lied before. Its not good to lie and if you lie it means you don't believe in yourself. Sometimes is good to lie for a good reason. So its not the best thing to lie and its not bad either.
I gave this book 2 stars. I gave this book 2 stars because well it got boring. This book wasn't the best but it wasn't that bad so i gave it 2 stars. This book was like a little cool i guess...
October 23, 2014
I read this to my 10-yr-old son. He says, "This book was very funny. I especially liked the Skull because he made funny jokes." As for me, I also liked it. Good messages about how telling the truth makes you feel good and makes life easier. Also about being compassionate and kind. In presenting these messages in the story though, some mature and I think inappropriate topics for young kids (striptease dancing and an uncle having a boyfriend) were brought up, which is why I slotted this book for middle grade. My son had a lot of questions I wasn't entirely prepared for. Other than that, good book.
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June 12, 2009This book is about a kid who gets bullyed and chased by bullies he once got away by going to a swamp and he saw a book shop he went inside and it wasn't. He took a skull of truth. So as soon as he took it he had to tell the truth as long as he was around. Then something terrible happened but I can't tell you that would spoil it. I would rate this book a 5star because it really connects to me seeing something that I really like and sometimes taking but then you end up telling the truth.
September 5, 2011
Alas, poor Yorick! Who would've thought you'd turn up in a children's book? But you're quite at home. Old Will would've enjoyed this yarn which will make you laugh AND make you think about truth and falsehood in black-grey-white splendor. Coville has done a masterful job here, both in the central idea of the book and in the way he brings it to a close - not hackneyed or overly moralistic or pie-eyed new-age-y but just very - right! And fun. Read it. And be glad Yorick's not living in YOUR closet...
August 27, 2016
I started listening to the Full Cast Audio recording of Bruce Coville's SKULL OF TRUTH and couldn't bring myself to stop, so I listened straight through. I advise getting the book also, for the illustrations and to savor bits like, “We’re all slaves to curiosity.”
I loved the Hamlet references , the folktale, and the lessons on the nature of truth. “There are many kinds of truth, Charlie, and that story is true in a very deep way.” So are the books of the Magic Shop series. Thanks, Bruce Coville for excellent books and proof that Mr. Elives.
I loved the Hamlet references , the folktale, and the lessons on the nature of truth. “There are many kinds of truth, Charlie, and that story is true in a very deep way.” So are the books of the Magic Shop series. Thanks, Bruce Coville for excellent books and proof that Mr. Elives.
September 1, 2007
My kids listened to the audio version of this book and it was well-done with a full cast of character voices. I enjoyed this book as much as the kids. The theme of *truth* which can be both good - and bad - and the concept was handled really well. Great one to read/listen to with your kids that can lead to really good chats about ethics. The book was far from preachy but it certainly made it's point about truth and how it can be twisted to suit a purpose.
February 15, 2012
This book is a hoot! Funny. But also wickedly clever. Coville is a very talented writer, and this book has wonderful twists and turns. I didn't find it in the least predictable, but I did find its take on life in middle school and in an, er, interesting extended family to be spot on. And there's some serious metaphysics, in the form of allegory, crafted neatly in the story. Highly recommended. Almost a 5 -- 4.5, in my book.
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