The Paper Kingdom

by Helena Ku Rhee (Author) Pascal Campion (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

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.

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Hardcover
$19.99

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ALA/Booklist

Starred Review
Enchanting and powerful.

Kirkus

Starred Review
A beautiful, must-read tribute to hardworking families and the magic they create.

None

Colorful, impressionistic illustrations, awash with warmth and light.... Daniel's wide-eyed, feet-planted observation invites readers to likewise contemplate the hierarchies and invisible labor of spaces they inhabit.

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 agent: Bill Contardi, Brandt & Hochman Literary. Illustrator's agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Assoc. (Feb.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3--When his babysitter calls in sick, young Daniel is taken by his parents to their job cleaning an office after hours. The empty building initially scares and confuses Daniel. He doesn't understand why his mother and father have to clean it. They explain that the office is home to the Paper King and a bunch of dragons who leave trash everywhere. Although his parents insist that the dragons don't mean to be messy, Daniel is incensed by the injustice. But he is soothed when his parents tell him that one day, he can be king and tell the dragons to be less messy. Campion's illustrations are gentle and colorful. He conveys the family's economic status on the first page when we see Daniel sleeping in the same room as the stove and dining table. The perspective of some scenes is off; however, there are also subtle details like the characters' reflections in the shiny, freshly mopped floors. The text is mostly composed of Daniel's questions and his parents' explanatory dialogue, but it also alludes to how hard their work is. They sweat, sneeze, cough, and rub their necks as they clean the office board room. VERDICT Inspired by the author's own life, this is an uplifting story of a family working hard to make things better for the next generation.--Chance Lee Joyner, Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library, NH

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"A layered, loving picture book tribute to family and the sacrifices that parents make for their children's future." —Shelf Awareness, starred review

"An affectionate tribute to the bonds of family and the unexpected memories we form when we perform seemingly mundane tasks together." —BookPage

Helena Ku Rhee
Helena Ku Rhee grew up in Los Angeles and has lived in various parts of the United States, Asia, and Europe. She is the author of the picture books Rosa's Song and The Paper Kingdom, both illustrated by Pascal Campion, and The Turtle Ship, illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage. Helena Ku Rhee currently lives in Los Angeles.

Stella Lim studied fine art and graduated from Kingston University. She based her work for Sora's Seashells on sketches from Ji-Hyuk Kim. Stella Lim lives with her family in Seoul, South Korea.

Ji-Hyuk Kim
is the illustrator of the New York Times bestseller Through Your Eyes: My Child's Gift to Me by Ainsley Earhardt as well as many book jackets and covers. Ji-Hyuk Kim lives in South Korea.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780525644613
Lexile Measure
550
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication date
February 18, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
JUV013060 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Parents
JUV023000 - Juvenile Fiction | Lifestyles | City & Town Life
Library of Congress categories
Imagination
Imagination in children
Janitors
Cleaning personnel
Paper
Office buildings

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