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The New King: A Madagascan Legend
Young Prince Rakoto learns to cope with his father's death.
- GenresPicture BooksAfrica
Hardcover
First published May 1, 1995
About the author
Doreen Rappaport
63 books79 followersDoreen Rappaport has written many books of fiction and nonfiction for young readers, specializing in thoroughly researched multicultural history, historical fiction, retellings of folktales and myths, and stories of those she calls the "not-yet-celebrated." Among her recent books is Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier, which received a Caldecott Honor Award and a Coretta Scott King Honor Award for illustration. Doreen Rappaport divides her time between New York City and a rural village in upstate New York.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 11, 2022
I really enjoyed the art work, I thought the portrayal of the boy losing his father was accurate and appropriate but I'm not sure how I feel about reading a legend to a child about life after death that doesn't reflect my worldview.
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November 7, 2016Title: The New King
Author: Doreen Rappaport
Illustrator: E. B. Lewis
Genre: Non-European folktale
Theme(s): life and death, wisdom
Opening line/sentence: “The loud boom of the drums frightened Prince Rakoto.”
Brief Book Summary: Rakoto’s father died, and he is now pronounced King. As his first acts as King he commands the doctor and the magician to bring his father back to life, but neither can do so. He goes to the Wise Woman who teaches Rakoto that everyone dies, and it is part of life. He accepts this and learns to rule like his father had taught him.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Publishers Weekly
A thoughtful folktale from Madagascar and spare, painterly watercolors affectingly cohere in this compassionate book about a boy's encounter with death. When his father the king is killed on a hunt, the crown prince-the ``new king''-commands assorted court potentates to revive him. When they are unable to help, the vexed child consults the Wise Woman, who teaches him about death and immortality with a parable about ``the first human couple,'' who were given a choice between renewal (``dying like the moon'') or enabling a new generation (``dying like the banana tree''). Rappaport's (The Journey of Meng) seemingly straightforward narrative is infused with strong emotional currents. (She notes, in fact, that the prince's passage through grief is based upon the writings of Elisabeth Kbler-Ross). Lewis's (Fire on the Mountain) unadorned illustrations, featuring strong, emotive faces and striking native garb, focus the attention squarely on the characters. Ages 5-up. (May)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Children’s Literature - Marilyn Courtot
Young Prince Rakoto is devastated to learn of his father's untimely death while on a hunt. Struggling with his grief, he tries to get the Royal Doctor and Imperial Wizard to bring his father back to life. Each replies that he cannot do that even if commanded to do so. When he visits Wise Woman, she tells him a story of the first couple and of the cycle of life and death, and how men and women live on forever in the lives of their descendants. A poignant and powerful message illustrated with touching and expressive watercolor art.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I love that review #1 says “seemingly straightforward narrative is infused with strong emotional currents.” The light story and detailed pictures in turn lead to a very serious topic of life and death and how people live on through the lives of their children. Both reviews talk about the watercolors, which elementary children would love to see in a read-aloud.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book has really great pictures, that expand the meaning of the text. The plot comes full circle, explaining life and death, but in a way that’s light and easy to comprehend. The book has a lot of dialect, and it also has the main character, Rakoto, speaking from a child’s point of view for most of the story.
Consideration of Instructional Application: This book would be great for a read-aloud. The topic is heavy, but the book explains it in such a light and easy-to-understand way that it would be okay to bring up to a whole group read-aloud or discussion. I don’t think that I would do a whole lot of activities with this book, as it is more a book to just discuss.
Author: Doreen Rappaport
Illustrator: E. B. Lewis
Genre: Non-European folktale
Theme(s): life and death, wisdom
Opening line/sentence: “The loud boom of the drums frightened Prince Rakoto.”
Brief Book Summary: Rakoto’s father died, and he is now pronounced King. As his first acts as King he commands the doctor and the magician to bring his father back to life, but neither can do so. He goes to the Wise Woman who teaches Rakoto that everyone dies, and it is part of life. He accepts this and learns to rule like his father had taught him.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Publishers Weekly
A thoughtful folktale from Madagascar and spare, painterly watercolors affectingly cohere in this compassionate book about a boy's encounter with death. When his father the king is killed on a hunt, the crown prince-the ``new king''-commands assorted court potentates to revive him. When they are unable to help, the vexed child consults the Wise Woman, who teaches him about death and immortality with a parable about ``the first human couple,'' who were given a choice between renewal (``dying like the moon'') or enabling a new generation (``dying like the banana tree''). Rappaport's (The Journey of Meng) seemingly straightforward narrative is infused with strong emotional currents. (She notes, in fact, that the prince's passage through grief is based upon the writings of Elisabeth Kbler-Ross). Lewis's (Fire on the Mountain) unadorned illustrations, featuring strong, emotive faces and striking native garb, focus the attention squarely on the characters. Ages 5-up. (May)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Children’s Literature - Marilyn Courtot
Young Prince Rakoto is devastated to learn of his father's untimely death while on a hunt. Struggling with his grief, he tries to get the Royal Doctor and Imperial Wizard to bring his father back to life. Each replies that he cannot do that even if commanded to do so. When he visits Wise Woman, she tells him a story of the first couple and of the cycle of life and death, and how men and women live on forever in the lives of their descendants. A poignant and powerful message illustrated with touching and expressive watercolor art.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: I love that review #1 says “seemingly straightforward narrative is infused with strong emotional currents.” The light story and detailed pictures in turn lead to a very serious topic of life and death and how people live on through the lives of their children. Both reviews talk about the watercolors, which elementary children would love to see in a read-aloud.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book has really great pictures, that expand the meaning of the text. The plot comes full circle, explaining life and death, but in a way that’s light and easy to comprehend. The book has a lot of dialect, and it also has the main character, Rakoto, speaking from a child’s point of view for most of the story.
Consideration of Instructional Application: This book would be great for a read-aloud. The topic is heavy, but the book explains it in such a light and easy-to-understand way that it would be okay to bring up to a whole group read-aloud or discussion. I don’t think that I would do a whole lot of activities with this book, as it is more a book to just discuss.
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April 9, 2010young african boy becomes king when father dies
November 9, 2011
A delicate issue handled well. Prince Rakoto searches for someone to help bring back his father after his death. But we can't change the past. We can only do the best we can with the future.
October 16, 2017
In "The New King," Prince Rakoto is told his father passed away. He can't accept it, and orders his father to be brought back to life. Rakoto then finds out they can't do it so he goes to this Wise Woman. Slowly, he learns he can't change anything and he has to accept his father is gone. The illustrator uses watercolors throughout the book to show you what is happening.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews