The King of Little Things

PreS-Gr 2—The King of Little Things kindly rules over everything small, from "coins, candles, combs, keys" to "barnacles, bats and fried bologna." Content in his kingdom, he "had everything he needed and didn't want for more." His nemesis and antithesis, greedy King Normous, is intent on conquering the tiny empire and presumes an easy victory. The King of Little Things's eclectic subjects come to the rescue and thwart Normous's armies ("the soldiers found mealworms in their bread, chiggers in their underpants, and fungus between their toes") and stage a worldwide revolt ("Lights unlit. Scarves unknit. And every little thing, everywhere, REFUSED TO WORK"). Wenzel's watercolor illustrations present a medieval world of turreted castles, banquet tables laden with food, and raiding soldiers. There are plenty of humorous details such as nails that spring from doors and buttons that pop from suspenders. The witty writing enlivens this fable about appreciating the small things in life.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada