The Collector of Heads
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Ana Matsusaki
Translated from the Portuguese by Bruna Dantas Lobato
There are all kinds of collections in this world…serious, funny, weird. Imagination has no limits! And Rosália's collection might be the weirdest yet, as she collects the heads, histories, and memories of those who have died. Ana Matsusaki's beautifully illustrated book explores the delicate and complex cultural aspects of death with great humor and invites us to reflect on the shared and unique contents inside each of our heads.
Nominated for a 2024 Ezra Jack Keats Award
A 100 Scope Notes Most Astonishingly Unconventional Book of 2023
A Fuse 8 Unconventional Book of 2023
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ISBN: 978-17347839-8-8
9.5” (W) x 9.5” (H) • 44 pages • Hardcover
$ 19.95
REVIEWS
★“Strange and sweet, mysterious and open-ended, this is a book for introspective kids, the ones unafraid to ask the big questions … Introspective intelligentsia in a clever format encourages readers to ponder what our personalities boil down to.”—Kirkus Reviews
★“Oooo! You just know you’re in good hands when you see a title like that! Meet Ana Matsusaki, a debut author illustrator from Brazil. Now what is the premise of this book? I’ll show rather than tell: A little morbid? Maybe. But awfully Wednesday Addams, wouldn’t you agree? The cool trick to this book is that you can see what’s inside of each head … And don’t worry. Ana Matsusaki is also willing to put her own head on the line.”— Fuse 8, a School Library Journal blog by Betsy Bird
★“Latin American author/artist Ana Matsusaki's beautifully illustrated book, The Collector of Heads is ably translated into English by Bruna Dantas Lobato and explores the delicate and complex cultural aspects of death with great humor and invites children to reflect on the shared and unique contents inside each of our heads. Original, entertaining, thought-provoking, The Collector of Heads is an unusual and highly recommended addition to elementary school, middle school, and community library picture book collections."—Midwest Book Review
★“Rosália makes for an unusual picture book character, with her skull and crossbones tattoo, black cat, and collection of heads in jars. Using mixed media collages, Brazilian-Japanese artist Ana Matsusaki leads us on a visual inspection of the shelves in Rosália’s laboratory … The artwork is whimsical and wonderful, with dark blood red throughout and lots of black and pink … Fans of Jon Klassen may enjoy meeting Rosália and her macabre collection.”—Youth Services Book Review