Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras — Content Guide for Parents
Found in this book
- Scary contentBrief
- ReligionBriefChristian
- Race & cultureSupporting
Not found
- Violence
- Profanity
- Climate
- Sexual content
- Gender roles
- Gender & orientation
Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
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Religion
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year * Robert F. Sibert Medal Winner * Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book
Funny Bones tells the story of how calaveras came to be. The amusing figures are the creation of Mexican artist José Guadalupe (Lupe) Posada (1852-1913). Lupe learned the art of printing at a young age and soon had his own shop. In a country that was not known for freedom of speech, he drew political cartoons, much to the amusement of the local population but not to the politicians.
While he continued to draw cartoons, he is best known today for his calavera drawings. They have become synonymous with Mexico's Día de Muertos festival. Calaveras are skeletons performing all sorts of activities, both everyday and festive: dancing in the streets, playing instruments in a band, pedaling bicycles, promenading in the park, and even sweeping the sidewalks.
They are not intended to be frightening, but rather to celebrate the joy of living and provide humorous observations about people. Author and illustrator Tonatiuh relates the pivotal moments of Lupe's life and explains the different artistic processes he used.
Juxtaposing his own artwork with Lupe's, Tonatiuh brings to light the remarkable life and work of a man beloved by many but whose name has remained in obscurity.
"Playful but informative . . . a fascinating introduction to the artist and his work." ―Booklist (Starred Review)
"Artistically beautiful and factually accessible . . . effectively blends artistic and political content for young readers." ―Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
Frequently asked questions
Is Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras appropriate for a 7-year-old?
A parents' guide says some children may find the skeleton images scary, though most are festive and funny, and the drawings about the Mexican Revolution are described as aggressive and frightening. The book explains the Day of the Dead holiday, which a parents' guide says has Pre-Columbian origins later folded into Spanish Catholic tradition; the book is catalogued as non-religious and has no prayer or worship scenes.
Does Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras have violence?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras have scary content?
Found (Brief): A parents' guide says some children may find the skeleton images scary, though most are festive and funny, and the drawings about the Mexican Revolution are described as aggressive and frightening.
Does Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras have religion?
Found (Brief, Christian): The book explains the Day of the Dead holiday, which a parents' guide says has Pre-Columbian origins later folded into Spanish Catholic tradition; the book is catalogued as non-religious and has no prayer or worship scenes.
Does Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras have race & culture?
Found (Supporting): The book is a biography of a Mexican artist and focuses on Mexican culture, Day of the Dead traditions and Mixtec-inspired art, with some Spanish words; no racism is described.
Does Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras have profanity?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras have climate?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras have sexual content?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras have gender roles?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras have gender & orientation?
Not found in the sources we checked.
