The Emperor's Regret

by Barbara A. Pierce

The Emperor's Regret is an original folktale that tells the story of a popular young emperor who makes the decision to denounce his former lifestyle for another. When he is brought face to face with a surprisingly reality, it changes his way of looking at his very own existence. Can he endure the twist and turns his life is about to take? While on nighttime Safari trip in Botswana, Africa, Barbara witnessed a leopard stalking baboons for an evening meal. For her, it was a very tense moment. Later, that riveting scene inspired her to write "The Emperor's Regret." Set in a tropical rainforest in Eastern Asia, the book tells the story of Paheni, a troubled young emperor whose ultimate goal is to find a life with less responsibility. Annoyed with the grasp of royalty, he relinquishes his birthright to seek a more carefree existence. He summons Haknobee, a well-respected elder who is known to possess great wisdom and powerful magic, to pursue his desire. As he experiences the freedom of his new life, reality falls dangerously short of his fanciful expectations. The author hopes the emperor's story will encourage readers to consider possible consequences first, before making important decisions. Hasty actions will too often deliver unwarranted outcomes.

Genres: Childrens

44 pages, Hardcover

Published March 1, 2021

Reviews

[Len]

I received my copy via a Goodreads giveaway.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It's a sophisticated story on an important set of topics: ennui, empathy, wisdom. The book is simply but beautifully and effectively illustrated.

[Csimplot Simplot]

Excellent book!!!

[Emily]

A lovely children's book: the story amused me (and seemed highly beneficial to encourage children in a positive manner), the artwork is beautiful, and it's well written. I would have extremely enjoyed having this read to me and also reading it myself when I was young. The version I received did have a duplicate page, but it didn't bother me too much. I'm all for shaping the minds of children for the better.

[Ellison]

Beautifully written and illustrated about a youngish emperor who has grown weary of his many emperor's duties and wishes a different existence. He summons a court wise man with his concerns and is told there may be a solution. he is excited by the prospect and pushes for the change. Eventually he has second thoughts. A good lesson!

[Sara]

** I received a free copy in a giveaway **

There was a misprint so pages 4/6 & 5/7 were the same. It was a decent story about appreciating where you are in life and what you have.

[Joseph Dubey]

A really good kids book with a really good moral to it. The only thing I found wrong with it was that pages 4 and 6 were the same ones. Like the illustrations too.

[Michele]

This is a really cute story, and a good lesson. However, there was one page that was repeated, and a few small grammatical errors.