CALDECOTT MEDAL WINNER – 1965
written by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers
illustrated by Beni Montresor
Simon & Schuster, 1964
42 pp.
Age: 2+
Interests: animals, royalty, castles, zoo, manners, invitations
Every day of the week the King and Queen invite a small boy to the palace for tea and every day he asks to bring a friend. The royals are always gracious and say yes, even though he tends to bring a different wild animal every day. On the seventh day the boy returns the favour, inviting the King and Queen to a tea party at the zoo.
A simple and fun story about hospitality and enjoying good company, no matter how raucous. The King and Queen are noteworthy for retaining their good humour and graciousness no matter what mischief the hippo or lions or monkeys get into. Even though a mess is made, or all the food gobbled up, nobody gets angry and everyone remains friends, which makes this book perfect for very young children.
The artwork is charming, with an eye-poppingly mod colour scheme. (Ah, it makes me nostalgic. I had a bright pink and orange bedroom in the 1970s.)
This will appeal to anyone who likes animals or tea parties or royalty-in-castles. And really, doesn’t that include just about everyone?
Rarest Kind of Best 