The King and the Sea

Description

These stunningly illustrated, ultra-short stories are seemingly simple but ultimately profound tales. In each story, the king has an encounter which he tries to rule over. But of course the rain doesn't stop just because a king orders it, and tired eyelids can be much stronger than a king's will. These encounters show the king that his power has limits; the world is diverse and much of it operates under its own rules.

Heinz Janisch is an Austrian children's book writer whose books have been published in more than a dozen languages. He has been honored with the Austrian State Prize for poetry for children, the Austrian Children's Literature Prize, and the Bologna Ragazzi Award. Wolf Erlbruch is a celebrated and original German author and illustrator. He has received many awards, including the 2006 Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Illustration.

"This thought-provoking picture book consists of a series of encounters between a king and various people, objects, and intangible forces, which offer profoundly revealing insights on the nature and limitations of power." -- Best Picture Books of 2015, Publishers Weekly (US) "Charmingly unconventional . with wisdom and humor to spare." -- Huffington Post (US) "This gem's childlike warmth, whimsy, and wisdom bring to mind The Little Prince." -- Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews (US)