Why Does Bones Have 3 Hearts? The Meaning Behind His Design

If you look closely at Bones Is Back®, you’ll notice something unusual for a skeleton: he has a heart. ❤️ Actually, Bones has more than one! There’s the heart proudly displayed on his chest. There’s another hidden in plain sight in the shape of his nose. And there’s even a third heart that only appears when you bring him to life and put his hands together. None of them are there by accident. Like Bones’ 10.31-inch height, the hearts are small design details with a much bigger meaning behind them.

Bones has three hearts for a reason: he was created by three of us—my daughters, Margaux and Mirielle, and me. From the very first idea to the character, story, and tradition Bones has become, each of us poured our heart into bringing him to life. The three hearts are a small tribute to the three people at the heart of his creation.

The Heart on His Chest ❤️

The most obvious heart is right where you would expect it—on Bones’ chest.

Bones may be a skeleton, but at the center of his story is something very much alive: kindness. In the book, Bones brings fun, imagination, laughter, and a little Halloween mischief into October, but he is never meant to be scary or mean. His heart is a visual reminder of what Bones represents: being kind while having fun.

As the story says:

“With a heart on his chest, so simple and clear, Kindness beats candy this time of the year.”

That idea runs throughout the story. Bones notices kindness, encourages children to help others, and reminds families that Halloween can be about much more than candy.

The heart makes that message visible before a child even opens the book.

Look Closely—Bones Has a Second Heart

Now look at Bones’ face. His nose is shaped like an upside-down heart. That little detail has a personal meaning. Bones began with my daughters, Margaux and Mirielle. One October, their love of Halloween and holiday magic turned a simple toy skeleton into a character they named Bones. That moment eventually became the inspiration for the entire Bones Is Back® tradition. So the hearts are also a small tribute to where Bones came from: an idea created through children’s imagination.

A heart on his chest and another hiding in his face—two reminders that Bones started with my two daughters and a simple moment of play.

And Then There’s the Hidden Third Heart 🫶

The third heart might be my favorite because you have to create it yourself. Bones’ hands were designed so that when you carefully bring them together, his fingers form the outline of another heart. It isn’t printed on him. It only appears through touch, movement, and play.

And that fits perfectly with what Bones is supposed to be. Bones isn’t a character children are supposed to leave sitting untouched on a shelf. He was designed to be picked up, posed, carried around, dressed up, and included in their adventures. In the story, children are specifically encouraged to touch him and bring him into their play.

The hidden heart becomes a little symbol of that idea:

The first heart is something you see. The second is something you discover. The third is something you create.

And you can only create it by bringing two hands together. To me, that makes it a symbol of connection, togetherness, friendship, and kindness through action—because kindness isn't only something we feel. It is something we do.

A Skeleton With a Heart

At first, putting a heart on a skeleton might seem like a funny contradiction.

That is exactly why it belongs there. Bones can be mischievous without being mean. He can play pranks while still encouraging kindness. He can be spooky and silly while bringing families closer together. The book describes the heart on his chest as a reminder that “kindness and imagination go together.” And that may be the simplest explanation for all three hearts. One is on his chest. One is hidden in his face. And one is waiting in his hands for a child to discover.

Three hearts. One simple message: kindness is at the heart of Bones. ❤️💀

Play. Pose. Prank. Be Kind. Create the Magic.

Marc Fetscherin

Father, Author, Inventor