King School
Alexis Deacon
Otter-Barry Books

When the old king dies, he’s replaced by a new king – shock horror, he’s a child and even worse according to his subjects is that he doesn’t know how to be a king.

The lively little one is sent to a specially built King School where the instruction is, “Sit still, don’t move, keep quiet and listen.” The little king is then clad in heavy robes and golden chains and told important things about all all his predecessors. However, enough is enough. Our new little king rebels. Tossing off his robes he announces, “In King School, kings make the rules.” and he instructs his subjects to stand on their heads.

The people do so. “Now catch me!” cries the king and runs away with the people chasing after. The roles are then reversed and so it continues till everyone is reduced to laughter.

The king then asks to show the people some important things that he discovered for himself. Off into the wild dashes the little king with the people following after. Oh what fun ensues and the people cry, “Long live the king!” The new ruler announces, “This is our new King School” and what a wonderful place it is, for it’s a place where everyone can play together and all the people can learn like kings.

I love the wild abandon that the new king advocates in this somewhat anarchic tale that has at its heart discovering the most important things in life, one of which is joy, another of which is being able to let go. Long live this little king, say I. Alexis Deacon’s mixed media scene of the sombre-robed other worldly subjects standing on their heads is unforgettable as is that of the same characters déshabillé.