Title: The Lying King
Author: Alex Beard
Publication Date & Publisher: September 4th 2018 by Greenleaf Book Group Press
Genre(s): Children’s, Humor
Length: 54 pages
ISBN: 13:978-1-62634-528-7
My Rating: 5.0/5.0
Description (from Goodreads):
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!
My review:
The Lying King is incredibly timely given the current political climate in the U.S.A. It reminds me of Dr. Seuss in that it has an obvious “hidden” statement. As Seuss wrote Yertle the Turtle King with Hitler in mind, I’m sure that author Alex Beard had the problem of lying as an acceptable practice in our current society in mind, when he wrote The Lying King.
I often wonder what the effect the current situation both here and around the world is going to have on our children. They are growing up in an environment where you cannot click on the television, read an article on the internet, or watch the news without seeing someone getting ahead, profiting both monetarily and politically, by spouting obvious lies. I love that Beard wrote a book like this that unequivocally tells our children that Lying is NOT okay! It is NOT acceptable! And it’s certainly NOT a way to become king!
As Beard says in The Lying King:
‘Cause that’s in the end how it always goes down…
The king who tells lies loses his crown.
The illustrations in The Lying King are fun and I enjoyed them just as much as the story! I’m sure I’ll be reading this one for many years to come…
I definitely recommend this book for anyone, not just children.
I received a free review copy of this book through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers Program. This in no way influenced my review.
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Jess Combs 
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