Typo and Skim - by Tomás Konč & inský & Barbora Klárová (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Have you noticed how things get older? Of course you have - you can't fail to notice such things. What was shiny and new a while ago is now old or broken or useless. Who's to blame? Well, living somewhere in our midst are little creatures who make aging their business. Typo and Skim, we learn about this hidden guild of craftsmen who cause things to fall apart. The main characters, Typo and Skim, are best friends. Like your average schoolboy buddies, they bond over the subjects of boring teachers, strict parents, cleaning their rooms. However, some of Typo and Skim's teachers have been boring for over 500 years. Their parents actively encourage them to make mistakes, and Typo's mother is always nagging him that his room isn't messy enough. Typo and Skim are entropic elves and they support the process of entropy. But when Typo visits the real world, he realizes to his horror that humans don't appreciate their handiwork and, in fact, spend much of their time trying to minimize its effects. With humor, imagination, and fantastically detailed illustrations, Skim cleverly introduces a concept that we spend very little time talking about. And it is a stirring tribute to friendship as well.

Typo and Skim swept the major literary awards in the Czech Republic when it was published in 2017. It's already been translated into ten languages. Justly celebrated, beautifully designed and illustrated, and skillfully translated, Typo and Skim is coming to America. Bright and curious children will love this 120-page illustrated novel.

Review Quotes

A don't-miss for science-minded middle schoolers...Set in a wildly inventive world...Imagination soars in this smart, humorous, visually captivating approach to a scientific concept. - Kirkus starred review

"The title with the jokey names of the protagonists and the cover illustration...might give the impression that this is one of many nonsense children's tales whose main ambition is to entertain the child reader by juxtaposing crazy and realistic life situations. However, [this book] offers much more. Beneath the surface of the humorous action, it touches upon important existential questions." - Milena Subrtová, iLiteratura

"Beautiful illustrations, an engaging story, an original idea and wonderful humor for children and parents alike. This book turns reading bedtime stories into fun for parents too." - Blesk

About the Author

The authors of Typo and Skim, Barbora Klarova and Tomas Koncinsky, and the illustrator, Daniel Spacek, currently reside in Czechia. Koncinskyis a graduate in Screenwriting and Dramaturgy from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU). He works as a screenwriter and script editor for television. He likes to connect the worlds of children and adults, as he perceives these to be one and the same. Klarova works as a screenwriter for television as well, among many other things. The illustrator, Daniel Spacek, has illustrated two other books for children and takes great joy in creating art that helps us see the world from a wider perspective. This book was their first collaboration.