พระราชาผู้สั่งห้ามความมืด

by Emily Haworth-Booth, อริยา ไพฑูรย์ (Translator)

กาลครั้งหนึ่งมีเด็กชายเล็กๆ คนหนึ่งกลัวความมืด นี่ไม่ใช่เรื่องผิดปกติอะไรหรอก แต่เด็กชายเล็กๆ คนนี้เป็นเจ้าชายน่ะสิ และเขาก็ตัดสินใจแล้วด้วยว่า เมื่อได้เป็นพระราชา เขาจะจัดการกับเจ้าความมืดนี่เสียที

เขาจะสั่งห้ามความมืด

เรื่องเล่าอันเรืองรอง ว่าด้วยอำนาจ การลุกขึ้นต่อสู้ และบอกเราว่าความมืดช่วยให้เรามองเห็น ความงดงามของแสงสว่างได้อย่างไร

หนังสือภาพเล่มแรกของนักเขียนรางวัล Jonathan Cape/Observer graphic novel ใช้สีจำกัดเพียงแค่สีเหลืองกับสีดำได้อย่างน่าประทับใจ ก่อนจะระเบิดออกเป็นสีสรรพ์อันหลากหลายในตอนจบ

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Humor, Fantasy, Royalty

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 4, 2018

About the author

London-born Emily Haworth-Booth is an award-winning author, illustrator and educator who teaches at the Royal Drawing School in London.

Alongside her children’s picture books, Emily is currently working on a long-form graphic memoir for adults. Her short comics have previously appeared in print in the Observer and Vogue and her first children’s book, The King Who Banned the Dark, was shortlisted for numerous awards including the Klaus Flugge Prize and IBW Book
Awards.

Along with her sister, Alice Haworth-Booth, she is an activist with Extinction Rebellion. The sisters are currently collaborating on Protest!, an illustrated history of peaceful protests from around the world – from 1170 BCE to the present day – which will be published by Pavilion Children's Books in spring 2021.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book showing a young king who grows up afraid of the dark. He decides to ban the dark bringing in all sorts of ridiculous measures to ensure daylight. Eventually the king is won round to allowing back the darkness by a show of fireworks which then becomes an annual event. This is a quick humorous story with a nice message of conquering your fears rather than avoiding what scares you and appreciating the daylight more because of the night, much the same as summer not being the same without winter. There's a nice dog companion in the story and the illustrations are lovely, I really like the style and the use of black, white and yellow is very effective.

[Pawarut Jongsirirag · Rating 4 out of 5]

อ่านเอาน่ารักอย่างนิทานเด็กก็ได้ หรืออ่านระหว่างบรรทัดอย่างนิยายผู้ใหญ่ก็ได้

นิทานสำหรับเด็กของต่างประเทศนี่ ผมว่าเขาเขียนขึ้นมาโดยใช้ตัวอักษรน้อยๆ ภาพสวยๆ น่ารัก เพื่อให้เด็กอ่านก็จริง เเต่เนื้อหาของสารที่วางอยู่หลังภาพสวยๆ นี่คือสิ่งที่สามารถอ่านได้ทั้งเด็กเเละผู้ใหญ่จริงๆ ในตอนเป็นเด็กก็อ่านโดยใช้เเว่นตาอันนึง พอโตขึ่นเเว่นตาที่ใช้อ่านก็เปลี่ยนไป สารที่รับมาได้ในครั้งนี้ก็ไม่เหมือนตอนที่ยังเป็นเด็กอีกเเล้ว

เล่มนี้ก็เข้ากับที่ผมเล่ามาเต็มๆเลย อ่านอย่างนิทานเด็ก มันก็คือพระราชาคนนึงที่กลัวความมืด เลยสั่งห้ามไม่ให้มีความมืดเกิดขึ้นในอาณาจักรของพระองค์ เเล้วถ้าเราอ่านอย่างไม่ใช่นิทานเด็ก ......... มันก็น่าสนใจไปอีกเเบบนะครับ

[Sue Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodness me, where to start? There are many layers to this book and many lessons. For young children it is about telling someone about your worries and asking for help, in order to find a solution. As children become older, this story is about listening to advice, appreciating the wisdom and experience of others and the need to think things through. As children become older still, it is about the consequences of our actions and the impact of our decisions. After much discussion, the story is about getting your own way, about manipulating the truth, about lies and deceit and underhand behaviour. Woven into all of that is an appreciation that what we all have is already pretty special, too much of a good thing never really lasts or pays off. Eventually, common sense and the greater good wins the day.

This story is about a little Prince who is afraid of the dark. He grows up to be the King, and still scared of the dark, bans it completely. There are some truly creative features in this book. The use of colour, just shades of black and grey contrasted with white and yellow fill the book until the last few pages, when colour is used as the resolution to the story. I love the double spread that illustrates the little boy growing up into a King. Three illustrations on one page so effortlessly depict the way the rumours about the dark were spread, leaving the language uncluttered and the message clear. There's humour in the speech bubbles and in the invention of the 'anti dark' hats, especially when worn by dogs! Shop signs like 'Torch Town' and road signs banning 'dark' all add interesting detail that plays on the theme and are fun to spot. I love the white light that shines from the bicycle lights, there really is so much light coming from everywhere in the picture, the artist has no where else to go but 'white'!

The symbolism of the colour yellow echoes the themes in the story. Whilst yellow is a happy, positive, fresh colour, it can also represent cowardice and deceit. Too much yellow can have a disturbing effect on people, causing a lack of focus, criticism and demands.

This is a very clever story, able to open up so many questions and layers of thought and yet resolved by one simple, happy, fun event. This, in itself, shows how often the answers are waiting for us if we can open our eyes and look and listen. I have really enjoyed this book and sense the next time I read it there will be more to find.

[Makmild · Rating 5 out of 5]

น่ารักมากๆ จริงๆ หยิบเล่มนี้มาอ่านเพราะในกลุ่มตลาดหลวงโพสต์ประมาณว่า ตอนนี้ลูกกำลังโดนล้างสมองจะสอนยังไงดี เลยหยิบเล่มนี้มาดูว่ามันจะช่วยอะไรได้มั้ย ซึ่งก็ช่วยทางอ้อม

อ่านพระราชาแบบสนุกๆ ละก็ได้ อ่านแบบตีความก็ได้อีก แต่ชอบที่สุดคือลายเส้นสวยมากๆ

[Mathew · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the things that I think makes children's literature so appealing is the gaps that it leaves between the reader and the text. It is those moments, where meaning is made by what the reader brings to the text that can strengthen connections and enrich the reading experience. The greatest books then, invite multiple interpretations and revisitations as we grow up and it is exactly that that Haworth-Booth's debut achieves.

When the young prince grows up to be King, he swears that he will remove that one thing that has always unsettled him: the dark. Initially his advisors ask him to reconsider but they begin to see how propaganda and fake news could sway to public into believing that they would benefit from losing the dark. It is only when the people begin to suffer that an underground resistance rises and plots to show the King that the dark is not to be feared and is, instead, something we cannot live without.

Using a 'combination of ink, watercolour, charcoal, conté crayon and pencil', Haworth-Booth limits her colour palette to show that battle between light and dark. Shades of grey and black contrast against the oppressive presence of bright white and glaring yellow with one particularly beautiful scene making a special celebration with a blast of colour. Haworth-Booth paces the story carefully with full-page and double-page spreads and is unafraid to let the colour and blank space aid in the telling of the tale alongside the words.

Although the book's inspiration was initially about celebrating the beauty of the dark and how removing something so vital could only truly be valued in its absence, Haworth-Booth also saw potential in developing as a more Canutian cautionary tale. The story explores how the general public can be manipulated through dirty politics.

But the book has an uplifting end. An active member of the Extinction Rebellion, Haworth-Booth shows us that power need not lie in the hands of those at the top. Instead, grassroots movements can collectively take action and change the state of their own future: something that we are seeing happening across the globe at this very moment. And as with such movements, The King Who Banned the Dark has within it the seeds of such change. It invites readers to question those in power and invites them to consider revolting against a regime in which only those at the top benefit. As I stated at the start of this review, great books invites multiple reading and interpretations; The King Who Banned the Dark is one of the books and it is no wonder that it found itself shortlisted for the prestigious Klaus Flugge prize.

An insightful overview of Haworth-Booth illustrative process can be found here. Special thanks to Ellie Labbett for pointing me in this direction.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little prince who is afraid of the dark vows that he will ban it when he becomes king in this original fairy-tale from British author/illustrator Emily Haworth-Booth. His ministers concoct a plan to convince the people that a world constantly lit is a good thing, and all goes well at first. But soon the king's subjects grow weary of never having the peace and comfort of the dark. They in turn concoct a plan, complete with fireworks display, to demonstrate to the king that the dark can be a good thing...

A picture-book debut for Haworth-Booth, The King Who Banned the Dark is an engaging story about balance, and learning to see the good in something that can be frightening - namely: the dark. The cartoon-style illustrations are expressive and full of humor, using a limited yellow color palette that is no doubt meant to reflect the central story idea about light. I don't know that this is destined to become one of my own favorites, but for those seeking picture-books addressing fear of the dark, this might be a title to consider.

[Mirai · Rating 3 out of 5]

"เราไม่มีทางรู้ได้เลยว่าความสว่างไสวสวยงามแค่ไหน ถ้าเรายังไม่เคยอยู่ในความมืด"

เรื่องราวของเจ้าชายที่กลัวความมืดมาตั้งแต่เด็ก พอโตขึ้นเป็นพระราชา ก็เลยสั่งห้ามความมืด และประกาศใช้ "กฎหมายห้ามความมืด" พร้อมกับติดตั้งดวงอาทิตย์จำแลงดวงใหญ่ใจกลางเมืองเพื่อให้เมืองสว่างไสวตลอดเวลา แต่ทำแบบนี้มันจะดีจริงๆ เหรอ?

เป็นนิทานเล่มแรกที่เราเสียเงินซื้อ ไม่รู้เพราะอะไรดลใจเหมือนกัน น่าจะเป็นเพราะคำโปรยปกหลังมีคำว่า "กฎหมาย" และชื่อต้นฉบับภาษาอังกฤษที่มีคำว่า "Banned" ล่ะมั้ง มันให้ความรู้สึกเหมือนโทนเรื่องต้องเป็นไปทางดิสโทเปียแน่ๆ

แต่มันก็คือ "นิทาน" น่ะค่ะ เนื้อเรื่องซอฟต์ละมุนละไมสมกับเป็นนิทานเด็ก ภาพประกอบสวยสะอาดตา เน้นสีขาวเหลืองดำทั้งเล่ม รู้สึกเหมือนเห็นแสงสว่างสะท้อนมาจากสีเหลืองในเล่มจริงๆ

สำหรับเนื้อเรื่อง ถ้าดึงเอาบริบทการเมืองออกไป ก็รู้สึกว่า เล่มนี้ก็เป็นนิทานที่ดีเล่มนึงนะคะ ค่อนข้างตรงไปตรงมากับข้อคิดดี ชี้ให้เห็นความผิดพลาดในการกระทำของพระราชา และผลที่ตามมาจากการทำอะไรโดยยึดตัวเองเป็นศูนย์กลางโดยไม่สอบถามความเห็นของราษฎรก่อน

แต่พอเอาบริบททางการเมืองเข้ามาเท่านั้นแหละ... การห้ามอะไรสักอย่างตามอำเภอใจของผู้มีอำนาจโดยการพยายามล้างสมองราษฎรและประกาศใช้กฎหมายให้สิ่งนั้นเป็นอันตรายต่อเมืองนี่มัน... 5555

สรุปคือ ประทับใจนิทานเล่มนี้่ค่ะ ดีมากเลยค่ะ ถึงเนื้อเรื่อ���จะสั้นๆ แต่ก็ร้ายกาจอยู่นะ 5555

[Ellie L · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful read with themes of rebellion, fear and overreaching. On the surface, this is a fun story about a King who fears the dark, and who makes every effort to never have to encounter it again. Putting a ban on the dark, the people live in never-ending light- but it cannot last forever! A closer look reveals darker undertones regarding the power of dangerous ideologies, and how easily thoughts can be manipulated through the spreading of fear by those of authority. This is told with humour throughout, making it less scary and allowing this book to be accessed at different levels by all of the key stages.
It would be lovely to unpick the layers of this story with children, particularly as there is an excellent balance between what we are being told by the words and the illustrations. It is clear that readers would notice lots of different details within each picture, and create their own ideas. I am particularly taken by Haworth-Booth’s striking colour choices and the reversal of feelings usually attached to light and dark, which would make a lovely discussion point with children.

[Kayleigh Farey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love beautiful picture books that use a limited colour palette, like The King Who Banned The Dark. Immediately, I was drawn to read it, and I'm very glad that I did because I've found a new favourite! The illustrations, whilst simplistic, are lovely and make for a very enjoyable read.

The King Who Banned The Dark is a story that can have different interpretations; on a simpler note it can be about how we need the dark as well as the light, making it a wonderful book about the fear of the dark and appreciating the beauty of the light. On a deeper level, as I've read in a few places, this book can be interpreted as being a bit more political - people have got power and can revolt against decisions taken by the leaders which may not be for the benefit of the people, and how decisions can be manipulated.

I personally like to think of it as being the lighter option, making it a perfect bedtime story to be enjoyed time and time again!

[Tum Kanapon · Rating 4 out of 5]

เด็กๆอ่านไม่ถึงกับสนุกมาก

แต่ส่วนตัวชอบถึงแนวคิดทางการเมืองทีแฝงอยู่

เรื่องย่อ พระราชาคนหนึ่งกลัวความมืด เลยจะสั่งไม่ให้มีความมืด โดยจะติดพระอาทิตย์จำลอง ห้ามคนปิดไฟ ใครปิดไฟจะถูกจับ

แนวคิดที่ชอบ
1.อย่าให้ประชาชนคิดว่าเขาถูกสั่ง แต่ให้เขาคิดว่ามันเป็นไอเดียของเขาเอง
ที่ปรึกษาได้ทำการ Propaganda ให้ประชาชนไม่ชอบความมืด แล้วมาร้องขอพระราชา โดยพระราชาก็แค่ตอบสนอง (สิ่งที่ตัวเองอยากได้) ประชาชนก็ดีใจชื่นชอบ

2.เราไม่สามารถปิดปากประชาชนได้
สุดท้ายพอสว่างทั้งวัน มันก็มีปัญหา แม้พระราชาจะสั่งปิดปากคนไม่เห็นด้วย แตสุดท้ายประชาชนก็รวมตัวกันจนต่อต้านสำเร็จ

จริงๆเรื่องนี้เป็นนิทานเด็ก อ่านเพลินๆ แต่ถ้ามองลึกๆผมว่ามันมีมุมที่น่าสนใจอยู่ไม่น้อย

[Alice Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A king has a fear of the dark and so he decides to ban it completely. A class could discuss the impact of fake news in our current society and the importance of having a critical eye when reading. It links nicely to science, looking at light and dark - why we need both of them and what else might have happened in the kingdom when there was only light.

We could talk about the negative aspects of having your greatest dreams come true and why we need both the good and bad to be happy.

I would draw the children's attention to the pictures and the use of pale, bright and chalky colours to highlight a world in total darkness and light; going into the beauty of the fireworks at the end.

[Amy Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Emily's other book, 'the last tree', I couldn't wait to pick up this one. This book has so many layers that could be explored and is full of important ideas. But it is all bought down into a child friendly way with lovely illustrations. I think this text has potential to be used and explored in all primary age groups, there is so much that could be done and so many links that could be made.

[Chris Morley · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those books that you read as a teacher, and wonder if the children will get the same deep meaning that you believe you have uncovered (because you are obviously so clever). However, almost every time there is at least a few children that mention the same thing, and then another child that says something you haven’t even thought about... yeah this is one of those books, and I love that.

[รพีพัฒน์ อิงคสิทธิ์ · Rating 4 out of 5]

นิทานสั้นๆ ลายเส้นน่ารักๆ ว่าด้วยผู้ปกครองเผด็จการ ลิ่วล้อที่ทำตามแบบไม่ลืมหูลืมตา และการต่อรองอำนาจระหว่างผู้ปกครองและประชาชน บทสรุปออกแนวน่ารักๆ ไม่ได้ถึงขั้นล้มล้างสถาบัน แต่สุดท้ายสถาบันก็ต้องปรับตัวตามความต้องการของประชาชนซึ่งถือว่าเป็นเสียงส่วนใหญ่

ควรซื้อเก็บไว้อ่านให้ลูกหลานฟังครับ

[Adriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that illustrates the rise of fascism to children without feeling scary.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly enjoyable. A little prince decides that when he becomes king, he will ban the dark because he is afraid of it. Dr. Seuss-like cleverness without all the irritating rhymes and made up words. 😁

[Annabel Laver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Child friendly way of talking about populist politics and how lies are spread and how quickly peoples mind can change bc of it, and why popular ideas aren't always the best - just because someone told you too doesnt mean you should!

[Chloe Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book involves speech bubbles which could be used to explore the characters further. The pictures are only three colours which are white black and yellow. The prince is afraid of the dark so when he becomes king he bans the dark. the children could look at why we need dark and light and fireworks. eventually there is colour perhaps we need light to bring out the colour. This would be good to use with young children to show the dark isn't scary and can be a good thing.

[Nabeela Ahmed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just from the title, I can imagine having a lively discussion with my KS1 class about the dark! Why would someone want to ban the dark and would it be a good idea? This way children can begin to make predictions about what the book will uncover!

I thought this was a brilliant story, a king who decides to ban the dark as he was scared of it when he was younger. I can imagine many young children may have experienced this and therefore it is easy for them to identify with the character and they may feel more comfortable having these discussions!

I thought that the illustrations were absolutely beautiful and did wonders for my Imagination - the way the dark and dull
Colours dominated the pages at the beginning however after the dark ban, everything is so much more brighter, vibrant and eye catching which could be a way of symbolising peoples happiness and positivity. I think children would love to create their own illustrations for different parts of the story!

Also as a post discussion, we could make some cross curricular links! Yes, no dark means no sleep! But what else would
Suffer, animals or plants? And why?

I also loved how the author used some tricky words such as ‘reign’, ‘advisors’ and ‘artificial’ which could be used as a place to pause and talk about what the different words mean, building children’s vocabulary.

A wonderful story!

[Miloureadsbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first wrote this review for my Instagram @miloureadsbooks
This picture books starts with a boy who is afraid of the dark, like many children are sometimes. Except this boy became King and decided to ban it. His advisors said that would never work, well, unless he made his people think it was their idea. So they started a campaign about how the dark is scary and stealing people's money. The people believed it and started to demand to ban the dark. Soon everybody was tired as they couldn't sleep with all that light on, yet it was difficult to break free of the King's tyranny. When they finally succeeded, they celebrated with fireworks that lit up the dark sky. And the King? He decided to use a night light to be able to sleep.
What I absolutely love about this book is that it can be read at different levels, for young children it might be a story about how to deal with being afraid of the dark,
while with older kids, this picture book can be a great conversation starter about fake news, dictatorships and rebellions.
The use of colour in the illustrations is clever as well. The pictures are using only black, white in yellow until the very end of the story. Once the celebrations starts, more colours enter the scene, and we see people as individuals rather than just the king's subjects.

[M]

I picked up ”The King Who Banned the Dark” by Emily Haworth-Booth for its clever cover illustration, with no knowledge of the author and no expectations, and... wow, I was surprised! It is a short, wonderfully political picture book. Smart & making-you-laugh-out-loud-funny, the book tells the story of a prince who was afraid of the dark, so he made his people be afraid too, to be able to then ban it. The themes the book covers in such a short space are big and broad: propaganda, fear of the unknown/other, power, repression, people organizing, revolution and celebration, all packed in a story to be read in an afternoon, or even more properly, right at bed time. I am delighted to encounter this author-illustrator who can so masterfully bend the narrative power of illustration, color and placing, to tell complex ideas in such a simple, artful way. All my appreciation for the ever-present dog companion.

[نسيبة العزيبي · Rating 4 out of 5]

يخاف الملك من الظلام فيقرر منعه، ولكي لا يثور شعبه عليه، ينصحه معاونوه بزرع كراهية الظلام في قلوب الناس ليصبح منعه مطلبًا شعبيًا ويصبح بذلك قرار الملك رضوخًا ونزولًا عند رغبتهم. وهكذا تنتشر الأكاذيب حول الظلام فيهابه ��لناس ويخرجون في مظاهرات يطالبون ملكهم فيها بمنعه. يسعد الملك بذلك ويأمر بصناعة شمس كبيرة ورفعها في سماء المملكة، ويقر قانونًا يحضر على الناس إطفاء الأنوار، ويفرض عليهم ارتداء مصابيح على رؤوسهم، ويخصص حرسًا وعساكر لحماية الناس من مغبة الظلام، وضبط المخالفين منهم. يبتهج الناس في أول الأمر ويرون في قرار الملك دليلًا على محبته وخدمته الخالصة لهم.. لكنهم سرعان ما يشعرون بالتعب ويتذكرون محاسن الظلام وفوائده، وحين يحاولون استعادته بخلع المصابيح التي على رؤوسهم أو إطفاء أنوار منازلهم ينقض عليهم حراس الملك وينالهم العقاب.. وهكذا يخرج الناس في مظاهرات جديدة ويطالبون بعودة الظلام.. فماذا يا ترى فعل الملك وماذا يا ترى فعل الناس؟
ظريفة ومحبوكة بدهاء

[Bethy Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about overcoming worries/fears and finding the beauty/positives in things we were once scared of! An important message to get across to children, especially in KS1.
The illustrations are imaginative and child-like. I love books that keep things simple by using a limited colour palette. This one only uses yellow, white and black. Very similar to the books by Bethan Woollvin!
Would be an excellent book for introducing speech to children in English - all of the dialogue in the story uses speech bubbles. This makes it very clear which parts are narration and which are spoken.
The story also fits perfectly into a 'light' topic in Science. You can also link it to themes of fears, challenges, castles, fairy tales, celebrations, festivals, fireworks etc.

[Rhiannon Hancox · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as children’s books go, this is a nice storyline and and interesting concept. I enjoy the way that something is taken away from people and then they learn to celebrate and appreciate what they missed once they get it back. It’s a nice way to think about appreciation.
However, there are some good teaching points within this book. Whilst initially it does not seem like a book misrepresenting race, it uses phrases like “the dark will steal your money” which can be taken in plenty of wrong ways. It is important to address these types of things with children if using this in a classroom. However it is no reason to not use it.
The story was interesting and the illustrations added a lovely extra detail to each page. Overall a nice book.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

ภาพสวย เนื้อเรื่องดี การดำเนินเรื่องดี
หนังสือใหญ่มาก เป็นปกแข็ง แต่เบา
อ่านไม่ถึง 1 นาทีก็จบ

แต่ตกตะกอนอยู่ในใจเราใหญ่มาก

------------------

เนื้อหาที่ทิ้งนัยยะให้คนอ่าน
ทั้งเรื่องผู้ที่ยกตนเหนือคนอื่น
การปล่อยข่าวลวงให้ผู้อื่นหลงเชื่อและคล้อยตามไปกับตัวเอง
การใช้อำนาจที่คิดว่าตนอยู่เหนือผู้อื่น
มาบังคับและกดขี่ผู้อื่นเมื่อผู้อื่นไม่คล้อยตามหรือมีอารยะขัดขืน

เมื่อใดที่คนที่ถูกกดขี่ข่มเหงตาสว่างและลุกฮือ
เมื่อนั้นอำนาจหรือชนชั้นที่คิดเอาเองว่ายิ่งใหญ่เหนือผู้อื่น
ก็จะไร้ค่า สูญสิ้น และเหลือทิ้งไว้แต่ความโง่และคนโง่ๆ
ที่คิดยกตนเองอยู่เหนือคนอื่น
ที่คิดว่าตัวเองมีอำนาจและชีวิตเหนือกว่าผู้อื่น
สุดท้ายแล้วก็ไม่มีใครอยู่เหนือใคร

ทุกคนเท่าเทียมและชีวิต มีสิทธิเป็นของตัวเอง

...เนี่ย ตกตะกอนโคตรใหญ่

[David Ballard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is rather a clever and unusual story which follows a King who was afraid of the dark as a child and decides to outlaw it.

It creates some ridiculously funny scenarios of what it would be like if the lights were kept on the whole time.

Children will be engaged by the light vs dark dilemma, however adults will be intrigued on another level by the political parodies, crowd manipulation, light inspectors and peoples rebellion elements that are cleverly woven through the story.

The illustrations have a wonderful roughly drawn quality and cleverly use a limited colour pallet.

Overall a great bedtime read and one that will appeal to both adults and kids

[Christina Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful picture book with a hopeful, rebellious message and effective illustrations using a limited colour palette. A young boy who is scared of the dark grows up to become King and bans the dark...yet even the dark has its uses and its beauty. The people of his kingdom decide to take matters into their own hands after a life of constant light begins to have a bad impact on people's lives.
This would be great as a discussion starter in any primary classroom, allowing you to springboard into looking at fears and overcoming them, rights and responsibilities and thinking about who makes the rules in society.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text describes a King who bans the dark, thinking it's a good idea, however, everyone then became so tired due to them having not slept for ages. The people tried to go against the Kings order but they always got caught by the the light inspectors, they then created a plan to help the King realise that banning the dark was a bad idea. He understands that the dark is needed when he can't see his firework display. This story shows that just because the King was scared of something, doesn't mean that he should ban it.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book suitable for a range of children in primary school due to the range of different messages. With younger children you could discuss worries and how to deal with them sensibly and effectively. With older children you could look at the links with power and revolutions. The king has always been scared of the dark until he becomes king and bans it. To start with it seems like a good thing until everyone gets tired because they can never sleep. The people try to fight back to get the dark back. A great story for FS - lower KS2 children.

[ตรัง สุวรรณศิลป์ · Rating 5 out of 5]

หนังสือเด็กเนื้อหาสุดเก๋ เ ลูก ๆ ผมชอบมาก ขอฟังซ้ำหลายรอบ

เนื้อเรื่องเกี่ยวกับพระราชาที่กลัวความมืด แต่แบบว่า plot พีคมาก ชนิดไม่คิดว่าเด็กจะเข้าใจได้เลย ระหว่างอ่านให้ลูกฟังก็คิดในใจว่า ... "เดี๋ยวๆ เอางี้เลยใช่มั้ย"

คือเรื่องสนุกเลยนะ ไม่ยาวมาก ถ้าไม่คิดมาก ก็เป็นหนังสือเด็กใส ๆ

แต่การสอดแทรกเนื้อหาบางอย่างเข้าไป ผมว่ามันทำให้ผู้ใหญ่อ่านแล้วสนุกตามไปด้วย เหมือนกับการ์ตูน Pixar ที่เด็ก ๆ สนุก แต่ผู้ใหญ่ได้คิดและไม่เบื่อ

อีกเรื่องที่เนื้อล้ำๆที่ผมชอบก็ "เต่า 2 ตัวกับหมวก 1 ใบ"

ใครมีเด็กเล็ก หรือ อยากให้ลูกฝึกอ่าน และ พร้อมตอบคำถาม ก็ลองเล่มนี้ได้ครับ