Select one of the keywords
Mustache!    by Mac Barnett & Kevin Cornell Amazon.com order for
Mustache!
by Mac Barnett
Order:  USA  Can
Hyperion, 2011 (2011)
Hardcover
* *   Reviewed by Bob Walch

Imagine, if you will, a very vain king who could do little else but gaze in the mirror at his handsome visage. If you've got that picture in your mind you won't have any trouble envisioning King Duncan.

Lest his subjects forget what he looks like, King Duncan erected billboards along the roads with his picture on them, set statues of his royal person in all the parks, and unfurled a huge likeness of himself from the top of the highest wall of his royal castle.

His loyal (make that irate) subjects were not impressed since they wanted new roads, better playgrounds and an improved quality of life, not more images of their conceited ruler foisted upon them.

Then the unthinkable happened! Some miscreant painted a mustache on one of the royal posters. And then someone else did the same thing. Soon every image of his majesty was sporting a 'stache and His Handsomeness was totally flummoxed by the predicament facing him.

What was he to do? When he called all his mirthful subjects together and asked who defiled his portraits, everyone raised their hands. 'You're all going to jail!' screamed the irate king.

Oops! Guess who didn't have a jail big enough for all the kingdom's inhabitants? Gazing at his beautiful image in the royal mirror, King Duncan reflected on the problem. Now what was he to do? Good question!

You'll discover that King Duncan did, indeed, find a solution to this vexing dilemma that not only allowed him to save face but also turn the table on his not so loyal subjects.

Children five years of age and older will find this silly tale quite funny as, no doubt, will their parents. Somewhere embedded in this hirsute story there must be a moral about correct behavior but, for the life of me, I can't seem to cut to the essence of it. Therefore, I suggest you just enjoy the story of King Duncan's misadventures and not worry about any hidden meaning!

Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.

Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews