Książę w cukierni

by Marek Bieńczyk, Joanna Concejo (Illustrator)

Dwójka znakomitych bohaterów, szczypta humoru i wdzięk stylu – Marek Bieńczyk, laureat nagrody literackiej Nike, podsuwa nam z pozoru tylko żartobliwą powiastkę o szczęściu. Bo „ze szczęściem są same kłopoty” – mówi Duży Książę, jeden z bohaterów Bieńczyka. I mnoży przykłady owych kłopotów, analizując powody ulotności szczęścia. Jego rozmówczynią jest Kaktusica, dla której szczęście ma smak napoleonki, bajaderki albo szarlotki.
To świat pełen lekkości, ciepła, z nutą marzycielstwa i poezji. Książka-majstersztyk, książka-dzieło sztuki.

Genres: Fiction, Picture Books, Philosophy, Graphic Novels, Childrens

92 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could remember how I ended up putting this book on hold at the library, because I really want to be angry at someone other than myself for choosing this stupid philosophical claptrap about the nature of happiness.

Maybe I was just lured in by the big fuzzy bear on the cover. Bad bear!!

[Shiv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the illustrations and style of the book - it’s tall and has folding pages - but the message of it was not as profound as it seemed to want to be. Happiness is fleeting and not shared by all at the same time, sometimes you don’t realize you were happy until the moment has passed (idk, I can’t relate to that because isn’t that the whole point of happiness? If you look back on a memory and think you were happy when you weren’t I think that’s more so nostalgia. If you aren’t happy in the moment then you aren’t “happy”), and because happiness can come and go you should enjoy it while you are in the midst of it.

[Gaba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kolejna książka do oglądania.
Narysowana kredkami przez polska ilustratorkę Joannę Concejo.
Tekstu jest tu niewiele przeczytalam raz myślę, że do niej wrócę.
Wydaje mi się ze to książka o depresji a może bardziej o braku imiejetnosci cieszenia się życiem.
Nie jestem pewna. Bardzo poetycka.

[ctrn · Rating 5 out of 5]

krótka historia o dostrzeganiu i postrzeganiu szczęścia z cudnymi rysunkami!

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story? Bizarre and weird.
The illustrations? Bizarre and perfect.
Overall a very charming and unique graphic novel.

[Isabel Sumardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh so this is perfect

[Agnieszka Cłapka · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me the book is a little bit too philosophical, but the topic of happiness is broached in an interesting way.
What caught my attention were the illustrations. On the one hand, the backpapers are delicate and beautiful, but on the other hand the characters are nothing like characters from a typical children story. In fact, because they are rather grim, they scare me.
Another thing I liked was the design. The way the book unfolds allows for looking at the entire story at once. However, by flipping the pages the reader discovers the true meaning of the story: usually the folding occurs in the middle of a picture, so for instance on one page we see the head of one character and the figure of another, as if they were talking together, but when we turn the page we actually see that in the very scene there was a third character, so the concept we had while looking at the previous page was inappropriate. The same is with happiness - no one really knows how to define it, there are many perspectives, and not having the whole picture at once may lead us to wrong assumptions. In this way the design reflects the text.

[Bistra Ivanova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Една от любимите ми книжки - супер нежна, поетична, дълбока, красива... не е детска според мен. Няма отделни страници, а е една дъъълга приказка за любовта, мечтите, причтелството, съдбата - http://www.wydawnictwoformat.pl/image... Истинско бижу.

[Rachael Hobson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting take on what it means to be happy.

[Rebecca Contreras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the artwork and a beautiful short story

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it because it was just what I needed to read in a time of sorrow.

[Sabree Goff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute short story. I read it to my little boy all the time and I think I read it more for me than him but I find the way the prince views happiness extremely relatable. Before I read this I referred to this type of happiness as disneyland because on paper I should be happy and I'm doing things that make me feel happy but almost empty or without a purpose (the example in the book is eating delicious pastries in a pastry shop with a woman he enjoys the company of). I have found the moments I am the most happy are when ive done the work for that moment up front. IE, graduating college, doing well on a test, getting a promotion, landing a new job, etc. Anyway my interpretation of the book is, everything comes with balance so if we are given happiness in one moment we may have already paid for it in the past or will be paying for it in the future. Highly recommend. Another concept I think about almost daily and it comforting for me to have it written down into a fun short story so I'll be giving this a 5.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Not-So-Little Prince smiled innocently, even though he was no longer so little, and said, "You see, Prickly Pear, happiness is divine retribution. When you have it, you don't notice. You don't think about it at all.
You eat your tasty donut or your tasty napoleon in the most superb company I know of, and you're not even aware that nothing will ever top what's happening to you right now. At least, not today." Marek Bienczyk - Joanna Conceio
Prince on a Pastry Shop
Such a beautifully written and illustrated fable for adults.
Yes this short story could be read for the sheer joy of its illustrations and whimsical story. But if one were to read it a second time and look a little deeper to its context, one will find a most philosophical view of the age old question,
'what is happiness and how can it be found'.
This little gem
of a short story is a must read.
Happy Reading!

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short kids book for adults. Interesting tall format with pages that fold out. Beautiful artwork. the Not-So-Little-Prince and Prickly Pear and a bear chit chat about the nature of happiness. About how fleeting it is, you don't realize you have it until its gone. Not something that will stick with me, but it was an enjoyable read.

[madziar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miniaturka o szczęściu. Kaktusica i Duży Książę zajadają pączki i bajaderki, rozważając czym jest szczęście i kiedy się zdarza. Każdy moment rozmowy to kolejna strona harmonijki, zapełniona z drugiej strony czterolistnymi koniczynami.

[Jordana Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je trouve que c'est violent comme pensé pour les enfants. Le format du livre est magnifique en revanche.

[Emily Stensloff · Rating 4 out of 5]

whimsical and a little depressing -- what more could you want in a graphic novel?

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming book that's actually quite a philosophical take on what happiness means - and how that meaning can change from person to person.

It's the perfect book to spend a quiet few moments with - it's a picture book that can be easily (and best) read in one sitting, offering the perfect opportunity for a few moments of gentle reflection.

Enchanting illustrations and pages that fold out with lovely, detailed illustrations; immerse yourself in the world this pastry shop and its characters.

[Denver Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful picture book for adults, originally published in Polish, will renew readers' hope for found love, reconciliation, and a more gentle world. The foldouts offer an even more expansive view of the wonderful illustrations by Joanna Concejo, done in black and white, accented by color pops. The question asked - is finding joy in a simple indulgence enough? - is posed in many ways, and readers will enjoy every page leading to the conclusion.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take a couple minutes for this! I picked this up from the library on a whim and I was blown away. It's short but man does it pack a punch. It was categorized as a graphic novel but felt more like poetry for people who have never cared about poetry. Some of the words spoke to me. I loved the illustrations, silly and whimsical and beautiful.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honesty, the best essay about the nature of happiness that I have read in a long time.

[Davi Kladakis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story with beautiful illustrations

[Michelle Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange yet beautiful book.