The King’s Equal

The people were mourning their king, who was dying.  They were also fearful of the future, because the king’s son & heir, Prince Raphael, was not a pleasant person.

As the king lay dying, he blessed his son, saying, “You cannot wear my crown until the day you marry a woman who is your equal in beauty and intelligence and wealth.”

As you can imagine, the prince was very angry.  He considered this declaration a curse, not a blessing.

The King’s Equal by Katherine Paterson tells the story of this haughty prince and his search for the perfect bride.  It also tells the story of Rosamund, who lived with three goats and a wolf on the top of a mountain.

Their paths cross in an unexpected way, and her sage questions shows what a fool Prince Raphael really is.

My children really enjoyed The King’s Equal, which is a combination of a beginning chapter book and a picture book.  My son enjoyed it just as much as my daughters.  The inside flap recommends this book for grades 2-5.  The content certainly is appropriate for those ages, although not every second-grader will be able to read this book to himself.  And I think kindergarteners will enjoy listening to the story and looking at the pictures.

Recommended for ages 5 through 11.