Snow Day

10/18/2018

King Alice by Matthew Cordell

"Idea!" said Alice

A girl dressed in red. A family. Snow. King Alice and The Wolf in the Snow delight with charm and wit.

How does one follow up after an award-winning wordless book? Matthew Cordell ventures in a completely different direction, introducing readers to King Alice, a precocious girl who is filled with opinions, stories of her own creation, and ideas. Lots and lots of ideas. She does not want for words.

It's a snow day, which means that everyone in the household is homebound. For one regal young lady, its a day filled with possibilities: make-over for dad, tea party, writing a story, watching the TV show "Unicorn Buddies," creating a unicorn stampede.

Inevitably, Dad reaches his breaking point. The antics are too much. Alice is sent to time out. The King apologizes.
Dinner. Bath. Bedtime stories. Peace restored.

Dad and King Alice are the main attractions in this day's escapades, but a mother, infant, and cat have cameo roles.

The final page hints of further exploits for this King and her subjects. One hopes that she will make a return appearance.

Cordell's line drawings with watercolor wash capture the vibrancy of family life. Body language and facial expressions of this slightly stressed duo are counter-balanced by the calming influence of Mom. Two styles of illustrations, the narrator's line drawings and Alice's pencil and crayon renderings offer differing points of view. Page design is an essential story element. Build-up to the climactic afternoon is depicted in full page spreads: a family lunch (calm before the storm), the unicorn stampede, and the resulting time out.

Note: This book was shared at a recent multi-generational family gathering. From the youngest independent reader, to a sophisticated teen, parents, and even grandparents were captivated by King Alice. It is recommended that you share this book with a wide range of ages. It's a sure-fire can't-miss-hit, even on a day without snow.