THE TINY KING

Lonely little monarch seeks more interesting plot…

The Tiny King lives all alone in a gigantic castle, commands a large army, rides a huge horse (which he falls off every time he tries to ride), eats a tiny meal at a vast table, takes a modest bath in a monstrous bathtub (with a fountain), and lies sleepless and lonely in the corner of a massive bed. Rather abruptly, he meets and falls in love with a big princess and marries her, just like that. Somehow, they rapidly produce 10 children, oddly almost the same size as the king himself, who are identified only by number. The Tiny King achieves instant nirvana now that he has a large family with whom to share his castle, dinners, horse and carriage, bathtub and bed. Now his need for company is satisfied; he is happy and able to sleep soundly. Miura’s exquisite design and strong graphic illustrations, consisting of simple cut-out shapes in vibrant colors and collages using images drawn from eclectic sources, often on matte black paper to enhance the effect, will appeal to very young children. Unfortunately, the book’s plot does not match the bold and striking illustrations.

Apparently monolithically bent on promoting the value of family, the ensuing lackluster text and simplistic plot may disappoint readers hungry for a rich storyline.