King Hugo’s Huge Ego by Chris Van Dusen (Candlewick, 2011) is a funny story about a very short king that thinks too highly of himself. When he is rude to a young woman who happens to have magical powers, she makes certain he’ll reap his just rewards. His head swells to humourous consequences, and in the end, he learns his lessons.
Chris Van Dusen’s illustrations are, as always, spectacular. This particular book is bright and cartoonish; the young reader in me (not to mention my son four-year-old son himself) couldn’t wait to see just how the king’s enormous ego would be portrayed on the next page. King Hugo’s Huge Ego is a happily ever after fairy tale we all can learn from.
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Great mini-reviews! The Secret River is such a beautiful book. I love Patricia C. McKissack’s Flossie and the Fox so I’ll definitely look for Never Forgotten.