Dizzy from Fools - Hardcover

Miller & Tharlet

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0887080049 ISBN 13: 9780887080043

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 1991

Synopsis

A young girl becomes a court jester despite her father's objections

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 2 Another not-so-subtle message that sex-role stereotyping is out. A princess asks her mother why a girl cannot be the Court Fool. Mother cautions that "only the boys grow up to be Fools" (is the double meaning here for adults or kids?) and that the king would not even abide hearing that a girl might be able to do the job. When the current Court Fool departs, the king holds a contest which the princess predictably enters and wins. Children will see through the ruse quickly, but the king does not discover the charade until his daughter turns a double cartwheel out his door. He then laughs "in spite of himself" and calls her back to "lighten his heart." Browns and deep reds dominate Tharlet's lively illustrations of little round figures in courtly dress. An additional read-aloud or discussion starter. Candy Colborn, Cottonwood Creek Elem . Sch . , Englewood, Colo.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

A French artist, Tharlet gives an endearing, distinctively individual look to the characters in Miller's ebullient tale. Soft colors grace the paintings of a toylike young princess and the members of her father's court. When the king announces a contest for court jester, his daughter disguises herself and joins the aspirants, even when her mother declares that the idea of a female fool is "PRE-posterous!" In her sly fashion, the princess stumps the king with two riddles, an unprecedented feat, making her the winner over so many rivals that the court is "dizzy from fools." But she has to resort to more wiles before she can do the cap-and-bells officially. Hurray for a charming, non-didactic boost to feminism.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0887080049
• ISBN 13: 9780887080043
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 25