THE LITTLE FLOWER KING

by Kveta "Pacovská ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 20, 1992

The Czech author-illustrator of a wonderfully inventive counting book (One, Five, Many) brings the same imagination and brilliant colors to illustrations for an old-fashioned story of a little king whose happy life planting tulips is incomplete until he quests for a princess (he finds her in a tulip blossom) and makes her his queen. The tale's a bit trite but told with engaging simplicity, and it serves as a vehicle for Pacovská's splendid mix of vigorous, childlike drawing (of images like the flowers and the king himself) with brash, sophisticated colors and playful manipulation of size for dramatic effect (à la Oscar de Mejo). A powerful sense of design informs these collage-like compositions, thoroughly European in tone. Try this with very young children, who'll like the peek-n-boo cover cutouts and respond to the vibrant colors, bold forms, and simple story.

Pub Date: Nov. 20, 1992

ISBN: 0698400542

Page Count: 36

Publisher: Picture Book Studio

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1992

Categories: CHILDREN'S