There are lots of funny moments as the fort grows more and more extravagant and you have to hand it to the younger sister for having a glorious imagination to come up with all of this. The fort (and those who come along with it, such as the monsters and pirates that attack it regularly) is drawn differently, so that you know it’s all in her imagination. The illustrations, done in charcoal, pencil, and ink, with digital color, do a marvelous job of playing up the crazy aspects of the tree fort. The story’s resolution is very realistic and also sweet, when the sisters bond together after things have escalated to the point of an argument. The whole creation of the tree fort seems to be more about trying to provoke a reaction from her sister than about actually wanting a fort. The younger sister here is just aching to do something fun with her older sister, who would much rather read in peace. Monsters and pirates are known for their respect for others’ mealtimes.Īuthor/illustrator Brianne Farley dedicates this book to her sister (her favorite sister, specifically) and that feels especially appropriate for this story. The open approachability and good manners by all involved in this story really works to make you like everyone involved. There are some repeated verses, which serve as a sort of chorus, mostly involving the royal couple stating that any friend of the boy is a friend of theirs. Although it seems like that would be distracting and interruptive, there’s something fun about it and I like the way it causes you to pause in your reading. At the end of the week, the King and Queen invite the boy back around for tea, but the boy insists that he and his friends would like to host the royal couple, so the King and Queen have tea at the zoo with the boy and all his friends.Īuthor Beatrice Schenk de Regniers was a poet and her rhyming verse here is unique in that sometimes she adds a couple of extra words after the rhyme. He brings a group of lions (all wearing masks) for Halloween and a seal for Apple Pie Day. He brings monkeys to lunch and an elephant to breakfast. When they invite him to dinner, he brings along a rhino. They tell him that his friends will always be welcome, so he brings along a giraffe.
The boy accepts the offer to tea with the King and Queen and asks if he can bring a friend. The plot in a nutshell: A boy brings friends to visit the King and Queen
Written by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers, Illustrated by Beni Montresor Aladdin Paperbacks, 1964 Awards: Caldecott Medal
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