Venice provides the background for this delightful fairy-tale. Its king and queen realise that their daughter needs a husband to be king when she’s queen. But how to choose one? Find the young man who can show you the most wonderful thing in the world, advises the wisest man they know. As suitor after suitor arrives at the palace, the princess is out exploring the city with a charming young man. He it is who finally shows her parents the most wonderful thing in the world. It’s a satisfying story, cleverly told and Angela Barrett has great fun with the fabulous array of marvels presented by the suitors. The ending will leave everyone happy. ~ Andrea Reece
From the author of the Tiara Club series comes a gently satirical fairy story for our times, illustrated by one of today's finest artists, Angela Barrett.
When a king and a queen promise to marry their daughter Lucia to the man who can show them the most wonderful thing in the world, suitors descend on the palace bearing gifts. Roses, jewels and exotic birds; dancing girls, wind machines and mythical beasts - but nothing feels quite right. As the last suitor leaves, his weapons of mass destruction rejected, the king and queen are exhausted. But when a shy, young man, who isn't a suitor at all, steps forward, they finally understand what the most wonderful thing in the world really is.
Vivian French's masterful retelling of a forgotten story is both funny and heart-warming, and Angela Barrett's breathtaking illustrations give life to an enchanting and romantic fairytale city.
Vivian French has been writing for over thirty years, and has published over 300 books for children. She is passionate about illustration and is a co-founder of Picture Hooks – a project that mentors emerging illustrators. She has taught illustration at ECA for over 14 years and is now a visiting lecturer. Vivian has an MBE for services to literature, literacy, illustration and the arts. Before she was a writer, Vivian was an actor and a story teller; she still loves telling stories, especially fairy stories and folk tales..
