The Kingdom Revealed

By Rob Ryan • Illustrated by Rob Ryan

$ 19.95

“…Simple black figures set against a range of colorful, patterned backgrounds make for vibrant, engaging pages that echo the events in the text. A cliffhanger ending will leave readers waiting for the next volume in this enchanting series.” — Booklist

Not yet published

About this book

This is a story about a young boy who doesn't want to be King.

What he wants, more than anything, is to be normal. So one night, he runs away from the palace. He climbs out of his four-poster bed, disappears through a hidden door in the ceiling, creeps down a long-forgotten passageway, opens a small window and leaves behind everything he's ever known. At first, the world outside the palace seems a magical place that the King delights in exploring. But with no friends to call on, no money in his pocket, in fact nothing apart from the clothes he is wearing, it isn't long before the young King realizes that life on his own is going to be full of challenges Meanwhile, Lord Von Dronus, the most senior of all the King's courtiers, is determined to find the young King before anyone realizes he's disappeared. Beautiful, touching and surprising, The Kingdom Revealed is about appreciating the everyday and learning what matters most.

Brand: Rob Ryan

About the author

Rob Ryan studied Fine Art at Trent Polytechnic before going on to an MA in Printmaking at the Royal College of Art. After several years as a painter, he began creating paper-cuts and screen prints, which led to collaborations with Paul Smith, Liberty, London’s Fortnum and Mason and many others.

He has exhibited in New York, London, and Japan and has a store, Ryantown, in London. He is the author of This Is for You and A Sky Full of Kindness and illustrated The Giftfor Carol Ann Duffy. The Invincible Kingdom is the third book in a trilogy.

Reviews

“A young prince defies his destiny by escaping the castle he is meant to rule. At first, the surrounding city seems magical, full of wondrous sounds and sights, but the prince becomes very lonely without anyone to talk to. The kindness of several strangers allows him to begin building a new life for himself, and he eventually finds a job, a home, and, best of all, true friends. All would be well if it were not for the king’s courtiers, who will stop at nothing to get the boy back to the castle. The second volume in this contemporary fairy tale continues the quiet introspection and striking visual elements of The Invisible Kingdom (2016) as it examines concepts of personal choice and responsibility. The gently rambling narrative flows easily, and the prose balances a sense of wonder and underlying tension. Simple black figures set against a range of colorful, patterned backgrounds make for vibrant, engaging pages that echo the events in the text. A cliffhanger ending will leave readers waiting for the next volume in this enchanting series.” — Booklist