King Stork [Library Binding]

Howard Pyle (Author), Trina Schart Hyman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1973

The king of the storks grants the drummer three wishes for carrying him across the river.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The King of Storks befriends a drummer boy and helps him woo a princess. PW was surprised to find "such a sexy, bare-breasted lass as the princess in a children's book," but added that the illustrations "capture the essence ofthe characters from the classic story."
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Library Binding: 48 pages
• Publisher: Little Brown & Co (Juv); 1st edition (April 1973)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316724408
• ISBN-13: 978-0316724401
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #809,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars NOT for Children, March 19, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: King Stork (Books of Wonder) (Hardcover)

Yes, this is a very good tale, written in a wry and captivating manner and most of the illustrations are lovely. HOWEVER, I bought this at my daughter's request for a "beautifully illustrated fairytale" for her 9th birthday. Thank goodness I decided to give it a look before I gave it to her. The evil princess displays the decapitated heads of her suitors outside her bedroom window, ravens pluck out the eyes and dine on decayed flesh. The witch's table is carved with a couple engaged in sexual intercourse and the princess is fond of wearing completely see-through gowns. I don't think these are things most parents want their children contemplating in a bed-time story.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars As a child, I LOVED this book, April 11, 2003

By 

Elaine (the great NW) - See all my reviews

This review is from: King Stork (Paperback)

In regards to this book not being for children, I found this book in my school's library as an eight or nine year old. The story, but especially the illustrations, caught my imagination. Each illustration is a work of art with amazing details that you can get lost in. This book inspired my own sensabilities as an artist, and for years I wanted nothing else than to be as great an illustrator as Trina Schart Hyman.

Depending on your child, this book could be an inspiration. Too bad it is so difficult to find these days.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A KEEPER, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: King Stork (Books of Wonder) (Hardcover)

The combination of Pyle's amusing prose and Hyman's lovely artwork makes this rags-to-riches tale a joy to read. Warning: It is definitely not politically correct; feminists will probably by totally appalled.