#blogbookaday: In a Small Kingdom
Summary:
“This enthralling modern fairy tale from Caldecott and Newbery Honor winner Tomie dePaola and debut illustrator Doug Salati celebrates the greatest power of all: love.
In a small kingdom along an ancient road, a bell rings out. The beloved king has died, leaving his magnificent and powerful Imperial Robe to his heir, the young prince.
But when the prince’s jealous older half-brother steals the Imperial Robe, slashing it to bits, the prince can no longer rule—and the small kingdom is in great danger. Now the young prince must find another source of power and of strength—and he finds it in a surprising place.” (Taken from Goodreads)
Review:
When the beloved king of a small kingdom dies, he lives the throne to his young son. With the help of a magical, Imperial Robe, the young king will continue to open the gates of their small town to allow caravans and travelers a place to rest and the kingdom will continue to prosper.
But when his older, half brother hears the news, in a fit of rage, he shreds the Imperial robe and makes plans to take over the kingdom. With the help of the townspeople and more love than he expected, the young king is able to stand up for his kingdom and his people.
Personal Reaction:
I wasn’t too sure what to expect when I first began reading this story. I grew up with Tomie dePaola’s work – Bill and Pete, Strega Nona, and The Art Lesson were all staples of my childhood. I really liked this story, in that the king’s strength came from the relationship between himself and the people in his kingdom. They trusted him and gave me a great gift and in return he loved them back and was able to continue the town’s prosperity. I also really enjoyed the illustrators – they felt “old” enough for the story, but were not so old that kids couldn’t relate to them. And as a debut book, the illustrator must have been so excited to work with someone as prolific as Tommie dePaola. This is a beautiful modern folktale, set in an ancient time with a moral that still rings true today.
Title: In
Author: Tomie dePaola
Illustrator: Doug Salati
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 3, 2018
This is a new idea I’m trying on my blog this year that was inspired by @donalynbooks and @heisereads – to provide a brief review of a picture book every day of 2018. You’ll get a brief summary of the story, a review of the content, illustrations and theme, my personal reaction to the book and all the pertinent publication information! Enjoy!
