A Gift for the King: A Persian Tale

by Christopher Manson and William Painter

King Artaxerxes is not satisfied by any of the gifts he receives until a shepherd boy gives him a plain jar of water. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805009515
• ISBN13: 9780805009514
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Age Range: 4 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

tale with a nice lesson, but few surprises

When wealthy King Artaxerxes gets bored with all his treasures, he takes a walk (not unlike the Buddha, I suppose), and along his route, he is offered still more treasures and riches. He turns them all down, then feels thirsty. Only when a poor young boy offers him a drink of water does he show any gratitude. He holds his water cup with pride and joy, and cherishes it beyond all matter of treasure.Christopher Manson packed the pages with imagery. Most pages are crowded with pictures of numerous Persians, dressed in traditional garb, accompanied by their objects of art and craft. Drawn with brilliant detail, the illustrations convey a richly remembered (or imagined?) Persia of the past. Most hues are some variety of brown, gold, or earthtone, giving Artaxerxes' desert journey a realistic look. The story is predictable, but the quality retelling, illustrations, and lesson more than offset that shortcoming._A Gift for the King_ is a valuable addition to any library, home or otherwise.Ken32