The Lying King
by Alex Beard (Author)
Can warthogs fly? Do tigers eat broccoli? For answers, follow along as Warthog lies his way to the throne in this timeless, yet most timely, Tale from the Watering Hole. Will the Truth catch up with the king? Find out as Alex Beard's whimsical animals come to life to illuminate real world truths for children of all ages.
With a nod to Aesop and Kipling, this funny and pointed parable has lessons for everyone, from the playground to the boardroom and beyond!
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School Library Journal
Warthog is a liar. His boasts and lies start small and grow as he gets older. Warthog gets so good at telling lies that when it is time to choose a king, he lies his way to the crown. As king, he lies, cheats, distracts, steals, and is unjust. The other animals find it hard to stand up to his bullying. In time, the king gets so tied up in lies that his subjects finally rise up against him. Warthog, the lying pig, is banished. Consistent with the author's other watering hole picture books, stylized pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are mainly of animals from continental Africa. White space and text take up most of the pages, with very little room for the illustrations. In conjunction with the conversational text, the narration is cleverly crafted with flowing rhymes and sometimes humorous quips. This combination works well, if somewhat too long for a lapsit book. While children may find a lesson in virtue in Warthog's tale, the book will resonate more with an adult audience and is steeped in allusions to the current political climate. VERDICT An entertaining addition in the vein of the fables of Aesop.—Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
Alex Beard is an artist and author. He lives in New Orleans' Garden District in The Pink Elephant with his wife and two children, two dogs, a cat, three turtles, a hedgehog, and a pair of finches.
Stories in rhyme
Warthog
Kings, queens, rulers, etc
Kings and rulers
Honesty
Truthfulness and falsehood
