King and King

Bibliography:

de Haan, Linda, and Nijland Stern. 2002 KING AND KING. Tricycle Press. ISBN: 1582460612

Summary:

The Queen feels it is time for her son, the Prince to get married. She is ready to pass the throne to him, but only after he finds a suitable princess to marry.  One by one princesses from all over come to try and entice the Prince into marrying them. Each princess has a "unique" quality, but none of them appeal to the Prince. Finally Princess Madeleine arrives, along with her brother Prince Lee.   Prince Bertie and Prince Lee both remark "Oh, what a wonderful Prince!"  A wedding is for the Princes' and they become "King and King".

Critical Analysis:

King and King is a colorful, vibrant book with unique characters.  The authors and illustrators are from the Netherlands.  It could be a controversial book due to the homosexual theme, although it is written in a fun way very young readers may or may not pick up on the theme. The pictures are full of color and the "royal kitty" appears all through the story adding another element to it.  It also depicts people as being unique, both with the Prince and the various Princesses.  

Reviews:

School Library Journal: The book presents same-sex marriage as a viable, acceptable way of life within an immediately recognizable narrative form, the fairy tale. However, those looking for picture books about alternative lifestyles may want to keep looking for a barrier-breaking classic on the subject.

Connections:

**note: this is the first book I am unable to find links or lesson plans to support the use of**

King & King and Family: Join newlyweds King Lee and King Bertie on their journey into the noisy jungle.