The Kingdom Revealed

Gr 4 Up—The young king of Ryan's The Invisible Kingdom quickly comes to terms with his decision, based upon sage advice he reads on a carved pedestal, to run away from his protected and advantaged life at the palace. Having left home with no money, extra clothing, or plan for obtaining food or lodging, he is befriended in the park by a large, "shaggy-looking" man who finds him a jacket and a sleeping bag, leads him to a van in a quiet alley that serves free warm meals, and gives him a "fistful of money" with instructions to call his mother to tell her he is OK. Roaming the city day after day and visiting and sleeping in museums, a cathedral, and a movie theater, the king—now known as John—listens carefully to his new friend's advice: "You become a man when you begin to put other people before yourself." Volunteering at the food van leads to a paying job at a café owned by kind Angelo, who treats John as family; sufficient earnings to allow the boy to rent a small room; and a girlfriend. Readers might wonder why no one recognizes the young king, why the queen doesn't rush to her son's bedside when she hears the rumor that he has a contagious disease, or why an educated, caring young man would choose to disappear rather than confess his lack of interest in becoming the reigning monarch. This second volume of a trilogy ends violently. Like the first installment, this features a large, picture book–style trim size and is heavily illustrated with cut paper, screen print, and black silhouette artwork.