The King's Stilts

Published: 1939
Pages: 56
Reading level: Ages 4 - 8

Book Details

King Birtram’s order of business every day was to keep a watchful eye over the Kingdom of Binn. The kingdom was protected by the giant, knotted roots of trees which kept the people safe from the sea water which would otherwise rush in and drown them. Unfortunately, the tree roots proved to be a tasty treat for black birds who made a habit of eating them and jeopradizing the kingdom. Ingeniously, the king hires a team of patrol cats to protect the trees. In his spare time, the king enjoyed sporting a pair of stilts and clamoring around the castle until one day his stilts…disappeared.

The King's Stilts was published by Random House in 1939. This is Seuss' second book written and it's written in prose, not rhyme. A great lesson about working hard and then playing when the work is done. The story resonates with both younger and older readers. Most of the illustrations are done in black and white, but some red in thrown in for good effect.

Lessons Taught

• Work Hard, Play Later
• We All Rely on One Another

After reading some questions to ask your kids:

• What do you want to do when you start working?
• Do you think you should work before you play?
• Do you think playing is important after you work hard?

Poll

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