Skinnybones author Barbara Park has a long and detailed history of contributions to the middle grade genre. Her first novel, Don’t Make Me Smile (1981), was quickly followed by two others in 1982—Operation: Dump the Chump and Skinnybones. With Park’s first three novels, she established a trend of writing stories that appeal to children who are going through struggles very similar to those faced by her whimsical yet realistic protagonists. For example, Don’t Make Me Smile focuses on Charlie Hinkle, whose parents are going through a divorce. Through Charlie’s story, Park shows children how to grapple with their own feelings about divorce. Her second novel, Operation: Dump the Chump, focuses on Oscar Winkle, who faces another common problem that children face: dealing with annoying siblings. The book follows Oscar’s efforts to get his younger brother sent to summer camp so that he can have a few weeks of peace. Oscar’s story provides young readers with an outlet for frustrations they may feel toward their own siblings.

Like its predecessors, Skinnybones tackles the common issue of social competition, as Alex feels small, unpopular, and unathletic. Because sports are often a central part of children’s social sphere, Skinnybones offers healthy alternatives to athletic skill, delivering the philosophy that many other talents can stand on an equal social level with sports prowess.