Danny and the Kings [Hardcover]

Susan Cooper (Author), Jos. A. Smith (Illustrator)

Book Description

The touching story of a young boy whose determination to provide a Christmas tree for his little brother draws the assistance of a truck driver. A Newbery Medal-winning author tells a gentle story that--combined with beautiful watercolor paintings--magically catches the spirit of Christmas.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Ages 4-6. After Steve punches Danny in the nose over whether the kings were more important than the shepherds in the Christmas play, their teacher settles the issue calmly, saying, "My old granny even used to say that those Three Kings are still traveling the world, carrying presents." Feeling guilty for the punch, Steve gives Danny, whose mother can't afford a Christmas tree, a little tree from Steve's yard. Unfortunately, the tree is smashed by a truck while Danny is dragging it across the highway. Though they give Danny a ride home and take his family to school for the play, the truck driver and his two friends can't stay for the performance. When Danny, his mother, and brother return home, a lovely tree awaits them. In spite of the predictability of the plot, the genuine warmth of the season glows through the smooth text. Snowy winter scenes and indoor views in lovely watercolor paintings enhance the story's emotional feeling. Although Cooper's prose does not equal her compelling novels for middle and older readers, such as The Boggart , this gentle holiday story wears well. Deborah Abbott

From Kirkus Reviews

From the renowned author of The Dark is Rising series, a Christmas tale in which the Three Kings, in the guise of truck drivers, bring a Christmas tree to a poor family: a gentle story of fraternal affection and childlike faith, with the miraculous ending diminished not an iota by the trailer park and truckstop setting. Smith's realistic illustrations place the story squarely in the here and now, but he has a particular gift for painting the effects of different kinds of light--the flat harsh glare of a roadside cafe, the sharp-edged shadows cast by stage lights at a Christmas pageant, blinding headlights diffracted by thickly falling snow- -that also suggests the awe and wonder of the season. Something different, and very nice, for the Christmas collection. (Picture book. 5-9) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (October 31, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689505779
• ISBN-13: 978-0689505775
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,487,438 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

SUSAN COOPER is best known for her acclaimed sequence of fantasy novels known as The Dark Is Rising which includes OVER SEA, UNDER STONE; THE DARK IS RISING (1974 Newbery Honor book); GREENWITCH; THE GREY KING (1976 Newbery Award book); and SILVER ON THE TREE. Her novels for young readers also include VICTORY, GREEN BOY, KING OF SHADOWS, THE BOGGART and its sequel THE BOGGART AND THE MONSTER, SEAWARD and DAWN OF FEAR. She has written books for younger children as well, including the Celtic retellings THE SILVER COW, THE SELKIE GIRL, and TAM LIN, all illustrated by Warwick Hutton, and FROG, illustrated by Jane Browne. In collaboration with actor Hume Cronyn, she wrote the Broadway play Foxfire and--for Jane Fonda--the television film The Dollmaker, for which they received the Humanitas Prize in 1985. Born in Buckinghamshire, England, Susan Cooper moved to the United States in 1963 and now lives in Massachusetts.