The King's Taster

K-Gr 3Being the royal food taster is a treat for Max the doguntil the arrival of a new monarch. Suddenly the cook's delectable meals don't cut it anymorethis 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 comingthe king has chocolate wrappers peeking out of his crown throughout the story."Laura Lutz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Why wont the new king eat the cooks magnificent food? Max, the cheery, bespectacled hound who narrates the story, used to taste the kings food to test for poison; now he spends most of his time consoling the cook. In an attempt to satisfy the fussy kinga small boy with a wobbly crown and a horrible scowlMax and the cook travel the world in search of the rarest delicaciesFrench fries, pizza, chili tacosto 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 wouldnt, 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 materialsrecipe cards for the cooks clothing, for instanceand kid-pleasing details, as when the king splatters a whole pizza against a wall via catapult. Ages 36. "(June)"

Copyright 2009 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.