Review by Booklist Review
A young prince is all but invisible in the kingdom he will someday rule, but he finds a much-needed friend in the Bootman, who offers kind words and a gift to encourage what little freedom can be had inside the castle walls. True liberty comes in the form of an unguarded window, and as the prince experiences the outside world for the first time, his mind roils with wonder and possibility. Blending classic themes with a contemporary flavor, this modern fairy tale offers an unexpected and delightful twist on what might otherwise be an overly familiar story of duty and responsibility. Boldly illustrated with cut-paper silhouettes set against backgrounds of saturated hues, Ryan's scenes capture the eye and convey the emotional weight of the text. Despite the realistic setting, the narrative and images in this beautiful oversize title lend an air of magic to the story. The introspective and sophisticated prose make this best suited for mature young readers, who will wonder what's to come in the second volume of this planned trilogy.--Hayes, Summer Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
British artist Ryan (A Sky Full of Kindness) offers a fanciful modern fairy tale illustrated with a whole sheaf of his intricately detailed cut-paper silhouettes, including a poster on the back of the dust jacket. The hero, a young prince, lives in a palace in the middle of the city, trapped by protocol. His parents are remote, and his tutor, Lord Von Dronus, is an odious prig. After the death of his father, the prince-now the king-finds a secret exit and leaves the palace for the first time. "All of my life I have lived according to the needs and demands of others," he says to himself. "This is my coronation, this is my crowning." Wandering the city at night, he experiences the beauty of ordinary life for the first time. When Lord Von Dronus discovers the young man's exploits-"We had reason to believe Your Majesty's life was in danger," he sneers-the royal summons his courage: "Well, obviously I'm perfectly well.... Please would you close the door on your way out?" It's the first of three volumes, and readers will long for the next book. Ages 8-up. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4 Up-First of a three-part narrated modern fairy tale originally published in England, this oversize volume follows the life of a lonely young prince who becomes king at the age of 13 after his elderly father's death. Having led a solitary life at the palace under the stern Lord Von Dronus, his demanding tutor who believes in living life "according to rules," the young prince lacks playmates. But in his occasional wanderings, he has visited the very bottom of the palace, making the acquaintance, then friendship, of the Bootman-a wise and clever young fellow who polishes the palace footwear. The Bootman is a good listener-nonjudgmental and caring-who answers the prince's questions "thoughtfully and honestly" and gives him a pen that writes in invisible ink and a "special torch" to reveal the markings that enable the prince to draw an imaginary village on the drapes encircling his four-poster bed. When he discovers a window in the palace attic, he begins to sneak out at night to wander the city, fascinated with the ordinary people he observes at their nighttime occupations. Ryan's hand-drawn, screenprinted, and cut-paper illustrations, filled with intricate patterns, detailed cityscapes, and numerous black silhouettes, are placed on watercolor backgrounds ranging from bright yellow to dark gray hues. Much of the text is printed in gray on black backgrounds, creating a visually stunning presentation. VERDICT An intriguing fantasy that pulls readers right into the story with its enchanting plot and eye-catching artwork.-Susan Scheps, formerly at Shaker Public Library, OH © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Cut-paper silhouettes illustrate this large-format tale of a young prince's efforts to break the chains of loneliness and isolation imposed on him by his high station. Rendered unappealing by an interminable and pedestrian text, illegible by virtue of many pages of gray type on black or dark blue backgrounds, and leaden of spirit thanks to the dingy palette, this overblown effort starts sinking as soon as it leaves the dock. Surrounded by adults and always knowing that "his destiny was to reign," a prince finds solace in drawing an imaginary village with ultraviolet ink on his bed curtains, rambling about an abandoned attic, and sneaking off into town at night to wander about and, er, sing: "Like a fox, I am always looking / But I don't know quite what for. / The people nobody thinks about, that's whose side I'm on." Finally a jejune promise left by his father (whom he'd hardly ever seen) that he need never feel lonely because "I will always be here. / Deep in your heart" leaves him wanting "to tear off all his clothes and dive head first into this swirling sea of life." How he gets on, naked or otherwise, will be covered in a pair of planned sequels. The jacket unfolds into a large poster containing a different but similarly incoherent manifesto in cut-out letters. Dim and dismal. (Illustrated fiction. 11-13, adult) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
