Mr. King's Castle

PreS-K—Mr. King (a lion?) likes big things and decides to build a big castle on top of the hill where he lives. As it gets bigger and bigger, and he cuts more and more pieces out of the ground to make blocks for it, his animal friends come running, dismayed that they can no longer find the flowers, their favorite napping spots, the grass, and the hill itself. Mr. King looks out of his gigantic home and realizes that he has made "a BIG mistake." His friends help him restore the pieces to the hill, but they have one piece left over-and a surprise for Mr. King. The multimedia illustrations, mostly in bright green with touches of light yellows and browns, show the places where geometrical blocks of different shapes and sizes have been cut out of the hill in white. A simple lesson about preserving the environment and a sweet story as well, the book is not a necessary purchase, but it's a charming one nevertheless.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA