King Bartholomew and the Jester's Riddle by Pina
Mastromonaco is a wonderful, fun book with a humor level
perfect for children aged four to eight. Entertaining riddles
entice readers to try to guess the answer while enjoying the
tale.
Childlike King Bartholomew is obsessed with toys and
solving riddles. The chubby, balding King learns to balance
play and work time so that he can take responsible care of
his land and citizens, yet still enjoy a playful life. The
moral-of-the-story is not laid on thick ? it is lightly applied so
it will be easily accepted by young children. Teachers,
librarians and caretakers will enjoy reading this pleasant
book to children who like to play rather than accomplish
chores or school assignments.
The illustrator, David Martin, is extremely accomplished and
very gifted. Each page is filled with incredible detail that
reveals more the longer one gazes at them. Many
illustrations some form of nature included from the
fantastically sculpted bushes, an array of birds and a maze
of hedges with a big 'B' in the center (B ? for King
Bartholomew). Richly colored clothes and hilarious
costumes for the jester and the King's servants prove to add
an interesting twist to this fun-loving book.
ISBN#: 0974430714
Author: Pina Mastromonaco
Illustrations: David Martin
Publisher: Merry Lane Press
~ Lillian Brummet - Book Reviewer - Co-author of the book Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment ? Author of Towards Understanding, a collection of poetry.
http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit