The King's Taster

by Kenneth Oppel Narrated by Fred Berman

Overview

Max is the cook's dog. And because he is also the king's taster, Max gets to feast on

French Fries!

Rose Pudding!

Cheese Pie!

Pizza!

No wonder Max loves his job. Who wouldn't want to dine on these delicious dishes?

The new king, that's who.

And if the new king has his way, it won't just be their job that the cook and Max lose!

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Why won’t the new king eat the cook’s magnificent food? Max, the cheery, bespectacled hound who narrates the story, used to taste the king’s food to test for poison; now he spends most of his time consoling the cook. In an attempt to satisfy the fussy king—a small boy with a wobbly crown and a horrible scowl—Max and the cook travel the world in search of the rarest delicacies—French fries, pizza, chili tacos—to no avail. When Max discovers the king snacking on the sly, ruining his appetite, he alerts the cook. “I will tell your mother,” the cook promises the small king. “You wouldn’t,” replies the king. “I would,” says the cook, “and I will.” With the boy finally “eating like a king,” success and reward for the cook and his dog follow. Oppel (Airborn) cooks up punchy, ready-for-television dialogue, while the rich, textural spreads of Johnson and Fancher (What a Good Big Brother) make use of unexpected materials—recipe cards for the cook’s clothing, for instance—and kid-pleasing details, as when the king splatters a whole pizza against a wall via catapult. Ages 3–6. (June)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3

Being the royal food taster is a treat for Max the dog-until the arrival of a new monarch. Suddenly the cook's delectable meals don't cut it anymore-this king is a picky little boy. Max and the cook travel extensively, looking for new recipes for the temperamental royal, but French fries, tacos, and even pizza are rejected. Soon Max discovers that the king isn't eating because he is gorging himself on sweets every night. Mystery solved, the boy eats, and the cook's life is saved. Oppel's writing is lush: "...and in the Piazza San Marco, we learned of fabulous breads and herbs, sausages and cheeses." Kids will be familiar with the foods Max and the cook discover around the world, but their curiosity will be piqued when they read about peacock, venison, syllabub, and rose puddings. The illustrations were done with a layered mix of acrylic and collage with liberal use of handwritten and printed recipes as backgrounds to create the rich and textured art. Astute children will see the conclusion coming-the king has chocolate wrappers peeking out of his crown throughout the story.-Laura Lutz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY

Kirkus Reviews

Narrated by a bespectacled beagle, Oppel's pedantic offering mixes a "be your authentic self" vibe with an admonishment not to spoil your appetite with sweets. "I'm the king's taster, but I'm the cook's dog," says Max. When the new boy-king rebuffs Cook's efforts, Max and Cook undertake a series of overnight travels in search of delectably palatable recipes to tempt his majesty. The forays yield predictable but tempting results: fries from France, pizza from Venice (not Napoli?) and "chili tacos" from Mexico, all summarily rejected-and ejected-by the bratty king. Once ratted out (thanks to Max) for eating those appetite-suppressing sweets, the king becomes a convert to Cook's cuisine. "Ask me for anything . . . and it shall be yours!" he raves. Accordingly, the last spread depicts both Cook's dream-come-true and the story arc's conclusion, with Cook and Max outside their own eatery, a pub called "The King's Taster." Workmanlike collages by the accomplished Fancher and Johnson combine textiles, scrawled recipes and painterly elements in a muted, Old World palette that matches the ambitious plotting. (Picture book. 4-6)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173577269
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	06/09/2009
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	Up to 4 Years

Videos