The King Of Little Things

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The King Of Little Things

Hardcover

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Hardcover
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Overview

Long ago in a faraway realm, the King of Little Things ruled happily over all things small - from buttons to beetles, from marbles to macaroni. When King Normous thinks he has finally become the ruler of all the world, he is enraged to learn that the King of Little Things still reigns happily in his tiny kingdom. Normous sends his army to defeat this upstart, but he finds he cannot outfight or outwit a king who holds sway over the little things of the world. After all, it is the little things that keep the big things going.

Product Details

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781561457083
Publisher:	Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
Publication date:	09/01/2013
Pages:	1
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD730L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

From the B&N Reads Blog

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Editorial Reviews

It’s hard to miss the point of this fable about the kindly King of Little Things (who had “everything he needed, and didn’t want for more”) and his victimization by the ambitious and obnoxious King Normous. Small, Lepp clearly feels, is beautiful. Yet the story doesn’t pall. Lepp revels in exploring the many ways the King of Little Things’ insignificant but loyal subjects serve him, offering help in an early skirmish (“the soldiers found mealworms in their bread, chiggers in their underpants, and fungus between their toes”), then comforting him with crumbs and seeds after he is imprisoned. When the King of Little Things decides he’s had enough, he sends out a plea for all little things to strike: “Boats listed. Words twisted. Lights unlit. Scarves unknit. And every little thing, everywhere, refused to work.” Wenzel delivers Mad magazine–style spreads of medieval feasts, battles, capes, and crowns. Brainy wordplay abounds, and a scavenger hunt is included, too. Lepp affirms living simply without sounding smarmy, and Wenzel offers a king whose underpants fall off. What’s not to like? Ages 4–8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Long ago, the King of Little Things happily rules over all things small, from coins and keys to knobby knees, from paper clips to lizard lips, from macaroni to fried bologna. Big kings, on the other hand, always want more: "bigger riches...bigger britches." King Normous wants to be king of the world. He gathers an army and thinks he has conquered all rulers. But his steward reminds him that he has missed the King of Little Things. So he sets out to "put this tiny king in his very small place." But with the help of all his subjects, the King of Little Things ruins King Normous' army equipment and food. When summoned to King Normous' tent and then sealed inside a cavern, the King of Little Things is saved by the small things everywhere. And King Normous is never the same. The text is spiced with rhymes, assonance, and alliteration, and visualized in opulent watercolor scenes crammed with details befitting the kings. There is a feel of the Middle Ages along with comic delivery of both the characters and settings. The end pages lay out some forty of the vital "little things" for readers to locate inside. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

Children's Literature - Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

09/01/2013
PreS-Gr 2—The King of Little Things kindly rules over everything small, from "coins, candles, combs, keys" to "barnacles, bats and fried bologna." Content in his kingdom, he "had everything he needed and didn't want for more." His nemesis and antithesis, greedy King Normous, is intent on conquering the tiny empire and presumes an easy victory. The King of Little Things's eclectic subjects come to the rescue and thwart Normous's armies ("the soldiers found mealworms in their bread, chiggers in their underpants, and fungus between their toes") and stage a worldwide revolt ("Lights unlit. Scarves unknit. And every little thing, everywhere, REFUSED TO WORK"). Wenzel's watercolor illustrations present a medieval world of turreted castles, banquet tables laden with food, and raiding soldiers. There are plenty of humorous details such as nails that spring from doors and buttons that pop from suspenders. The witty writing enlivens this fable about appreciating the small things in life.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

School Library Journal

Don't underestimate the power and importance of small things. Trouble is brewing: Insatiably greedy King Normous wants to be king of the whole world. His giant army ruthlessly conquers every other kingdom and empire. He is happy until he learns of the existence of his polar opposite, "His Miniscule Majesty…the King of Little Things." Now he won't rest until he has conquered that realm as well. The little king is content among his small things, such as insects, coins and buttons, and he is not as weak as Normous believes. He involves all his very loyal subjects, those little things, to help repel the invasion, and King Normous' little things mutiny to join them. Naturally, there is a happy ending for everyone, except King Normous, of course, who is plagued by small things forever. Rich, image-filled language, including several rhythmic lists--"He raided realms. He squashed sovereignties. He eradicated empires"--emphasizes the two characters' opposing life views and highlights their battles. The tale moves briskly, with high drama and gentle humor, and allows readers to find the moral naturally. Wenzel's watercolor illustrations are in perfect harmony with the text, in both detail and tone. Endpapers depict an assortment of small things that can be found within the illustrations, encouraging further examination. Adults and children who read this delightful and imaginative book together will find lots to talk about. (Picture book. 4-9)

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