The Kingdom of Mine
Publisher:
Cupola Press
Publication Date:
15 January, 2012
ISBN:
9780983404613
Pages:
46
Subjects:
Juvenile fiction, Nature
Available as:
,
Trade Cloth, 978-0-9834046-1-3
Description:
In this timeless and delightfully illustrated tale, a young kingthinking he owns everything in his kingdom, including the wild animals, birds, and cloudsmeans well but acts impulsively, nearly destroying the land he loves. The story imparts lessons ranging from the importance of sharing to the dangers of the uncontrolled exercise of power, portraying how a king’s plans to accomplish his short-term goals cause damage he never anticipated.
PW Publishers Weekly
Review Source:
Publishers Weekly
Review Date:
2011-11-21
Copyright:
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
A classic framing device tells "the story about the rocks in the meadow" in this simple morality tale in which a young king inherits the rule of a small, flourishing kingdom. Promising to continue his father's legacy and safeguard "all that his father had cherished in the land," he builds a stone wall higher and higher to keep intruders (children) out, and beauty (deer, birds, clouds) in. Dunn's paintings depict a medieval setting, initially full of color, greenery, and contented humanity that, over the course of several brief chapters, becomes grayer and darker, as the stone wall rises to the sky. Bleak images of depressed deer that won't jump, birds that won't sing or fly, and a distraught, isolated king struggling to discern where he went wrong evoke a somber, reflective mood. The final chapters, entitled "The Awakening," "The Plan," and "The Resolution," depict the king's determination to make amends, and the astonished and joyful response of his kingdom as he begins to break down the wall. Edwards adeptly conveys complex ideas of ownership, responsibility, and community in a straightforward and nonpreachy manner. Ages 3-up. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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