The Paper Kingdom
-
-
4.0 • 2 Ratings
-
-
- $6.99
-
- $6.99
Publisher Description
An office at night is reimagined as a fantastical kingdom of paper complete with friendly dragons in this own voices picture book.
When the babysitter is unable to come, Daniel is woken out of bed and joins his parents as they head downtown for their jobs as nighttime office cleaners. But the story is about more than brooms, mops, and vacuums. Mama and Papa turn the deserted office building into a magnificent kingdom filled with paper. Then they weave a fantasy of dragons and kings to further engage their reluctant companion--and even encourage him to one day be the king of a paper kingdom.
The Paper Kingdom expresses the joy and spirit of a loving family who turn a routine and ordinary experience into something much grander. Magical art by Pascal Campion shows both the real world and the fantasy through the eyes of the young narrator.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"Mama and Papa were night janitors," writes Rhee (The Turtle Ship), who bases this story on her own experiences growing up. "When they got ready for work, Daniel got ready for sleep" across the cozy room from where his mother is cooking. But tonight, the person who usually watches Daniel can't come, and Daniel's parents have asked the upstairs neighbors for "too many favors." The child must leave his bed and accompany them. The security guard looks the other way, and Daniel's parents get to work cleaning a corporate office, telling their son it's "The Paper Kingdom" ruled by two monarchs and inhabited by dragons. Dad makes jokes and Mama says of the dragons, "They don't mean to be naughty," while gentle digital images by Campion (Good Morning, City) depict a bright, fluorescent-lit space. But the kingdom is a mess: the board room is littered with papers, the kitchen is a "disaster," and the work is obviously grueling. "It made Daniel feel hurt inside" to watch his parents labor in the middle of the night, and he rails about the unfairness of their having to clean up after others. Rhee ends on an upbeat note (maybe one day Daniel will be king, and "tell the dragons to be nice and neat"), and her story offers both a meaningful portrayal of one working-class experience and an image of a loving, hardworking family. Age 3 7. Author's)
