In this poignant, affirming, and beautifully illustrated journey, Mr Skelly explores the ups and downs of existence and discovers the makings of a meaningful life.

"How lucky am I, to have lost what I wanted, to find what I deserved"

Join beloved Mr Skelly, a gentle skeleton wandering across lush landscapes and treacherous terrains, through times of joy, loss, grief and love, to find his family and – ultimately – a safe home.

Along the way, he discovers life lessons which help us remember what to hold onto and what to let go of, to realise how lucky we all are, because this beautifully fragile present moment is truly all we have.

Mr Skelly invites you to shift your lens, make peace with what you can’t control, appreciate what can’t be seen, and live your life to the utmost of your ability.

How Lucky Am I is a simple reminder that, in the end, we're all made of the same bones. With gentle words and hand-painted imagery, this book hopes to shine a softer light on what's often overlooked - and maybe, in doing so, help us remember what truly matters.

What people are already saying...
"It's a pocket sized reset button, a collection of reminders that help you breathe a little deeper and feel a little lighter."

"What truly stayed with me is the message that it’s okay not to be okay and that we should be gentle with ourselves. We don’t get extra time in life, but we do get the time we have. And we can choose to fill that time with kindness, especially toward ourselves."

"Thank you, Christian Watson, for sharing this magnificent creation with the world. Mr. Skelly is exactly what we all need right now."

About the Author

From Myrtle Creek, Oregon, animator and designer Christian Watson has long lived by the creed that a person ought to remain a student of many things.

Actualising this, he founded the 1924us studio, a workshop devoted to thoughtful design and the preservation of simpler virtues, talents and fading skillsets.

In 2023, while residing in Tasmania with his wife Elle-May and their two children, he sketched the first likeness of Mr Skelly, a small figure that, to his surprise, came to hold meaning for millions.

Christian writes as he works: with plain earnestness, an eye for the unseen and a belief that even the quietest life is extraordinary.