Tales of the Kingdom

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A KING. DEATH TO PRETENDERS.

Thus read the signs in Enchanted City, a city held in the grip of the cruel Enchanter. But Scarboy and Little Child's mother used to insist "There is a king. A real king." In this city where orphans are slaves and people work in the night and sleep in the light, Scarboy finds that hard to believe. Yet, taking Little Child, he escapes from the reach of the Enchanter and begins to hunt for the King in Great Park, the place where trees grow. There he will find not only the truth, but also a new name: Hero.

Tales of the Kingdom is the story of how Scarboy and Little Child escape the pollution of the Enchanted City and enter the house of the Caretaker in Great Park. Scarboy, now renamed Hero, attempts to sight the King and pluck up the courage to pass through the Sacred Flames to join in the Great Celebrations, where everyone becomes as they really are.

This classic story is allegory in the traditional sense, a story that personifies themes, ideas, and people. It's not a completely one-to-one allegory (nor should it be taken as one), but it is very close in a way that's both intriguing and helpful.The easy writing style makes it excellent for reading aloud. Each chapter has one full color, full page illustration by Jack Stockman, the original illustrator.

Review by Lauren Shearer Lauren Shearer writes words for fun and profit. She also makes films, but everyone knows you can't make a profit doing that. Her other hobby is consistently volunteering way too much of her time. You can read more of her reviews here.