Current books on Amazon
​
​click cover to purchase on Amazon

​Buy all four on Amazon

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Book 4

Skel's & Ask Professor John:
​Teaching Life’s Lessons with Heart and Humor

The Skel's have teamed up with Ask Professor John to bring fun, creativity, and wisdom to life’s most important lessons. Through stories, activities, and community engagement, we inspire kids and adults alike to embrace kindness, teamwork, inclusion, and lifelong learning. With a playful twist and a skeleton crew full of character, we make education exciting and meaningful—because every day is a chance to grow, laugh, and learn together


                                 Mission Statement
SkelClub:

Skels & Ask Professor John partner to spark joy, creativity, and wisdom in every interaction. Our mission is to teach life’s lessons with heart and humor, inspiring kids and adults to embrace kindness, teamwork, inclusion, and lifelong learning. Through stories, activities, and community engagement, we make education exciting and meaningful—because every day is a chance to grow, laugh, and learn together.

Learn. Grow. Lead 
​​Embrace curiosity and keep growing—because learning never ends.

Review copies of each book for Hospital Staff

Skel's Easter Egg Hunt Book # 4
File Size:	83236 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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Skel's Big Green Adventure Book # 3
File Size:	106080 kb
File Type:	pdf

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Skel's Valentine Heart Book # 2
File Size:	76715 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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Skel's Holiday Adventure Book # 1
File Size:	231337 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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Buy all four on Amazon

​                    "From One Home to Many Smiles" 
                          (Individual Giving Program)

The Core Promise
​
When an individual purchases two (2) Skel books, Skel Club donates two (2) identical books to a children’s hospital of the buyer’s choice from our list of approved partner hospitals.

Buy two. Give two. Double the smiles.

How the Program Works for Individuals

Simple Giving with Real Impact

1. Purchase Two Skel Books
   • Buy any two copies of an eligible Skel title
   • Purchase may be for personal use, gifts, or a combination
2. We Match Your Purchase—Book for Book
   • For every two Skel books purchased, Skel Club donates two identical copies
   • Donations are made to a children’s hospital you select from our approved hospital list
3. Submit Proof of Purchase
   • Fill out the short form on this page
   • Upload proof of purchase (Amazon receipt or equivalent)
4. We Handle the Rest
   • Skel Club / Ask Professor John coordinates directly with the hospital
   • Approval is obtained through hospital administration or child‑life departments
   • Books are shipped once approval is confirmed

No hospital outreach. No logistics. No guesswork.

Approved Children’s Hospitals

• Donated books are sent only to pre‑approved children’s hospitals
• This ensures all donations:
  • Meet hospital guidelines
  • Support child‑life, literacy, and pediatric care standards
  • Are truly welcomed and used by the hospital community

(The current list of approved hospitals is available on this page.)

Optional Donation Acknowledgments
Buyers may choose to include:

• A short donor acknowledgment (e.g., “Donated in honor of…”)
• Recognition for:
  • Hospital staff
  • Child‑life departments
  • A loved one

All acknowledgments are handled respectfully and in alignment with hospital policies.

Why This Matters
✅ Turns Personal Purchases into Purpose
Your purchase becomes a meaningful act of kindness.
✅ Supports Hospitalized Children Through Storytelling
Books provide comfort, distraction, and imagination during difficult moments.
✅ Trusted, Responsible Giving
All donations go through approved channels—nothing random, nothing wasted.
✅ A Simple Way to Give Back
One form, one receipt, lasting impact.

Our Commitment
​Skel Club and Ask Professor John are committed to:

• Responsible, hospital‑approved donations
• Transparency in matching purchases to gifts
• Delivering joy through stories—one child at a time

Because every child deserves an adventure, even on hard days.

                “From Library Shelves to Hospital Smiles”
​
Core promise

For every Skel book a library adds to circulation, we donate one copy to a children’s hospital of the library’s choice.

How the Offer Works for libraries.

The structure

• Library adds Skel title(s) to circulation (purchase or donation, your choice)
• For each copy placed into circulation, by your organization:
  • Skel Club will donates one identical copy to a local children’s hospital  selected by the library
  • Fill out form on this page and upload proof of purchase from Amazon
• Donation can include:
  • Acknowledgement that recognizing the library for donating
  • Optional acknowledgment to hospital staff or child‑life departments

Why this is good for the local libraries.

• Supports literacy and pediatric care
• Strengthens community partnerships
• No extra administrative burden
• Positive PR opportunity 

Skel Club / Ask Professor John, will contact your selected local children's hospital to gain approval of books to be donated and ship the books once approved. 

All the book storylines support these key codes of Behavior 
​

Book 2
​
Skel's Valentine Heart
​has a story line that supports Libraries

Visit the Skel Club Page

“We are donating books to the following children’s hospitals, as Skel Club lives the values it teaches to our readers.” ​

Donated Books 1-4

​Good morning,

Thank you again for your wonderful donation of your Skel books to our patients and families here at Boston Children's Hospital. If you would like to donate additional books, please send them to the original mailing address:

Child Life Services
Attn: Book Donation
Boston Children's Hospital
300 Longwood Ave.
Boston, MA  02115

Again, we thank you for thinking of our patients here at BCH and wish you a wonderful week ahead!

Best, Kate

Child Life Services Department
Office (voicemail only): (617) 355- 6551​

Boston Children’s Hospital
300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
Child Life Services | Boston Children's Hospital (childrenshospital.org)

Donated Books 1-4

Child Life-5C
Book Donation
Connecticut Children's
282 Washington Street
Hartford, CT 06106
Mary Naumec
Toy Team Member

Donated Books 1-4

Rachael Odell (she/her)
In-Kind Gifts Coordinator (M, T, W, Th)
Seattle Children's Hospital
Phone: 206-987-7078
[email protected]​

Donated Books 1-4

​Francesca Riggio
Child Life Assistant
Goryeb Children's Hospital
Morristown, NJ
[email protected]

Donated books 1-4

Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware
1600 Rockland Road
Wilmington, DE 19803
United States [nemours.org]
​[email protected]

Donated books 1-4

Angela S. Muzzarelli
Philanthropy Operations Manager
 Inspira Health Foundation
159 Bridgeton Pike
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
P: 856-535-9405 ext. 64121
E: [email protected]
InspiraFoundation.org

Donated books 1-4

​Children's Specialized Hospital                      Long Term Care Center – Mountainside

We are currently waiting on approval of the book series these Children's hospitals listed below.
​

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

​Children's Specialized Hospital Long Term Care Center - Toms River Stevens Road
​
Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center

McMullen Children’s Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center

Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center

Evaluating books

Evaluating Book 4

Cincinnati Children's
Dept. of Development: Carlee Doss
3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 9002
Cincinnati, OH 45229

Thank you very much,
Carlee Doss
Gift in Kind Donor Officer
Department of Development
Phone: 513.636.2915
Fax: 513.636.7173
Gift-in-Kind Form

Children’s Mercy Hospital
Attn: Donate Goods / In‑Kind Giving
Adele Hall Campus
​2401 Gillham Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
www.childrensmercy.org
​[email protected]

Little Free Library 
​Amber Wire
70 Fairmount Ave
​Manchester PA 17345

Libraries where Skel Books
​are available

New Jersey

New Jersey is home to several specialized children's hospitals, many of which are "hospitals within a hospital" that provide specialized pediatric care within larger medical centers.

​Top-Ranked Children's HospitalsAccording to U.S. News & World Report, these facilities are consistently ranked as the best in the state:

• Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital (Hackensack) – Part of Hackensack University Medical Center.
• K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital (Neptune) – Part of Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
• The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital (New Brunswick) – Part of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

Other Major Children's Hospitals by Region
​These hospitals are state-designated children’s hospitals or major regional pediatric centers:

Hospital Name Location Affiliation
Children’s Hospital of New Jersey Newark Beth Israel Medical Center RWJBH
Goryeb Children’s Hospital   Morristown  Atlantic Health System
The Children’s Hospital at Saint Peter’s  New Brunswick Saint Peter’s University Hospital
Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper  Camden  Cooper University Health Care
The Unterberg Children’s Hospital  Long Branch  Monmouth Medical Center RWJBH
The McMullen Children’s Center   Livingston  Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center RWJBH
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) at AtlantiCare   Atlantic City Partnership with AtlantiCare

Specialized & Rehabilitation Hospitals
For long-term care, rehabilitation, and complex chronic conditions:

• Children’s Specialized Hospital: RWJBH
• Headquartered in New Brunswick, with additional inpatient sites in Mountainside and Toms River, and numerous outpatient centers throughout the state.
• Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital: Located in Marlton, specializing in pediatric medical rehabilitation.

​

​Natalie Tessoun
Executive Director of Development
Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital
📍 60 Second Street, 3rd Floor, Hackensack, NJ 07601
📞 201‑566‑3826
📧 [email protected] [hackensack...health.org]

New York

​Children's Hospital of New York
​NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital
3959 Broadway
New York, NY 10032
212-305-2500

​Children's Hospital of New York
NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital
525 East 68th Street
New York, NY 10065

​
​Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) has one dedicated, full-service children’s hospital:
🏥 Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital

• Location: Valhalla, New York (on the Westchester Medical Center campus)
• Status: The only acute-care children’s hospital in the WMCHealth system

​Children’s Hospitals Within Northwell Health
​✅ Cohen Children’s Medical Center📍 New Hyde Park, NY (Long Island Jewish Medical Center campus)

• Status: ✅ Only freestanding children’s hospital in the Northwell Health system

​Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is a nationally recognized, 230-bed not-for-profit children’s hospital in Hartford, Connecticut and an entire health system with locations in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts.

​U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals

These hospitals are repeatedly named to the U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll and are widely regarded as top-tier nationally and internationally.

Boston Children’s Hospital
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Often ranked #1 in the U.S. across multiple pediatric specialties, Boston Children’s is affiliated with Harvard Medical School and is a global leader in pediatric research and complex care. [health.usnews.com]

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The nation’s first children’s hospital, CHOP is internationally known for oncology, cardiology, genetics, and surgical innovation. [health.usnews.com]

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Frequently ranked at or near the top for pediatric cancer, gastroenterology, and endocrinology, with a strong emphasis on research and outcomes. [health.usnews.com]

Texas Children’s Hospital
Location: Houston, Texas
One of the largest pediatric hospitals in the world, especially renowned for cardiology, neurology, and pulmonology. [health.usnews.com]

Seattle Children’s Hospital
Location: Seattle, Washington
Known for nephrology, orthopedics, and rare disease care, and closely affiliated with the University of Washington. [health.usnews.com]

​Children’s National Hospital
Location: Washington, D.C.
Highly respected for neurology, genetics, and policy-influencing pediatric research. [health.usnews.com]

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)
Location: Los Angeles, California
A West Coast leader with strong rankings in cancer care, orthopedics, and GI surgery. [health.usnews.com]

books 1-4

Books 1-4

If you would like to donate your own self- or independently-published book, we are so thankful for your consideration of our program and the patients in our care. Unfortunately, we have had to make the difficult decision to no longer accept independently published books due to the time commitment required to review all of the requests we receive. ​

The Literally Healing Team
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
323.361.6801
www.chla.org/literally-healing 

Florida

Memorial Regional Hospital is the flagship facility of the healthcare system and is one of the largest hospitals in Florida.  Memorial Regional Hospital and Memorial Regional Hospital South are both located in Hollywood, Florida, and offer our community a variety of medical and surgical services. Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital at Memorial provides a comprehensive array of pediatric services and is the leading children's hospital in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Memorial Hospital West, Memorial Hospital Miramar and Memorial Hospital Pembroke serve the communities of western Broward County and others in South Florida. 

Many hospitals, particularly children's hospitals, have specialized programs to accept donations of new and sometimes gently used items. Because of infection control and safety protocols, most facilities have specific guidelines—especially regarding books and toys.
Top Children's Hospitals with Donation ProgramsThese nationally ranked institutions have dedicated "Child Life" or "Reach Out and Read" programs:

• Boston Children’s Hospital: They accept new book donations and monetary gifts. Uniquely, they also accept gently used books specifically for children older than 6 (outside the standard "Reach Out and Read" age range).
  
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP): Their program focuses on brand-new board books for infants and toddlers. They often prefer monetary donations to purchase books at a discount but do provide guidelines for physical book donations upon request.
  
• Nationwide Children’s Hospital: They accept new books for infants through 2nd-grade levels. They have strict safety rules and do not allow donors to personally distribute items to patients.
  
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: Allows you to "gift" books or supplies directly through their catalog, which funds the purchase of these items for their patient families.
  

New Jersey & New York Regional OptionsIn your local area, several hospitals within the RWJBarnabas Health network and others have active donation interests:
Hospital

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital
New Brunswick, NJ
Often coordinates with local community partners for book and toy drives.

Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital
Hackensack, NJ
Part of Hackensack Meridian Health; they frequently host fundraisers for patient comfort items.

Children’s Hospital of New Jersey
Newark, NJ
Located at Newark Beth Israel; accepts support for their pediatric programs.
Common Donation RequirementsBefore dropping off items, it is important to keep these standard hospital rules in mind:

• New vs. Used: Most hospitals only accept brand-new books and toys due to immune system concerns for patients. Used items are rarely accepted unless specifically stated (like the Boston Children's exception).
  
• Content: Books should generally have positive, non-religious, and non-political themes.
  
• Scheduling: Many facilities require you to coordinate a drop-off time in advance or use a pre-approved Amazon Wish List.
  

In California, there are eight major free-standing children's hospitals. These are specialized institutions that are physically and administratively independent from adult hospitals, allowing them to focus exclusively on pediatric care, research, and advocacy.
The 8 Free-Standing Children's HospitalsChildren’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) Los Angeles
Often ranked as the #1 children's hospital in California.
CHOC (Children’s Hospital of Orange County)
Includes the main campus in Orange and a "hospital within a hospital" in Mission Viejo.
Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego
The largest children’s hospital in California based on admissions.
Valley Children’s Hospital Madera
Serves the entire Central Valley; one of the largest in the nation.
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland Oakland
A premier trauma center formerly known as Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland.
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford Palo Alto
Globally recognized for organ transplants and complex surgeries.
Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach
Unique for providing integrated care for both high-risk expectant mothers and children.
Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital Loma Linda
The only dedicated children's hospital for families in the Inland Empire.

Key Distinctions
​While California has other world-class pediatric centers—such as UC Davis Children’s Hospital or UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital—they are technically considered "hospitals within a hospital" because they operate within a larger adult medical center infrastructure.

While most top-tier children's hospitals receive significant annual support, a few consistently lead the nation due to massive individual "transformational" gifts and robust national fundraising networks.

Based on recent reports from 2025 and 2026, here are the hospitals receiving the highest levels of philanthropic support:
​
1. Texas Children’s Hospital (Houston)Texas Children's frequently tops the list for total philanthropic revenue.

• Major 2025 Gift: In May 2025, the Kinder Foundation announced a $150 million gift to launch the Kinder Children’s Cancer Center, a joint venture with MD Anderson. This is one of the largest single donations ever made to a pediatric hospital.
  
  
• Network: It benefits from being the largest pediatric hospital in the U.S., drawing massive regional and international support.
  
  
  

2. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis)St. Jude is arguably the most successful fundraising machine in the world for pediatric health.

• The Model: Unlike others, it relies on a high volume of small individual donations rather than just a few large corporate gifts.
• Scale: They typically raise over $2 billion annually through their fundraising arm, ALSAC, ensuring that families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food.

3. Boston Children’s HospitalConsistently ranked as one of the best in the world, it is a primary beneficiary of elite philanthropy in the Northeast.

• Research Funding: It leads the way in philanthropic support specifically earmarked for medical research and innovation.
• Campaigns: Their multi-year "Dream Dare Deliver" campaign has historically set records for pediatric fundraising totals.

4. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)CHOP is a powerhouse for donations, particularly in the fields of gene therapy and oncology.

• Local & National Support: It receives heavy support from the Philadelphia business community and national foundations. It is often a top-three recipient of funds through the Children’s Miracle Network.

5. Cincinnati Children’s HospitalCincinnati Children's has seen a surge in major gifts recently, placing it among the highest-funded institutions in the Midwest.

• Golisano Impact: In late 2025, philanthropist Tom Golisano announced a $253 million commitment to be split among six pediatric hospitals, with Cincinnati Children’s being a major beneficiary.
  
  
  

Top National Fundraising OrganizationsIf you are looking at which networks move the most money, these two are the leaders:
Organization
Impact
Children's Miracle Network (CMN)A North American network of 170 hospitals. To date, they have raised over $7 billion, with funds staying local to the hospital where the money was raised.

Log a Load for Kids
A leader within the CMN framework; for example, they recently committed $2.5 million to Arkansas Children’s for heart research in March 2026.
​Note: "Most donations" can be measured by total annual revenue (where St. Jude wins) or by single record-breaking gifts (where Texas Children's and CHOP often lead). Most of these hospitals are 501(c)(3) nonprofits, meaning their financial disclosures are available via tools like Charity Navigator if you want to see their specific year-over-year growth.