MISTER KING

A gently ironic fable in Andersen's tradition, from an author and an illustrator who have both won prizes for their work in their native Finland. A little king is unhappy, in spite of his beautiful surroundings, because he has no subjects. The sunset and the fine books in his library call to him in vain. Finally, a cat who says he is a tiger arrives; happy to have a ""subject"" at last, the king serves him well, providing food, a soft bed, every comfort. Soon people begin to build houses nearby, and misunderstanding the monarch's title, they call him Mr. King--the generous man with a cat named Tiger. The little king is now happy in his fine home, the world's beauty, and his many neighbors--who never realize that he thinks of them as subjects, since he treats them as friends. Simply but gracefully told; blessed with lovely watercolor illustrations reflecting the serenity of the story, representing an orderly world with a misty, transparent sea, an elegantly ornamented interior, an idyllic village that seems to float at the foot of a mountain lit by the sun's last rays. Especially welcome as a sample of books from a relatively unfamiliar country.