King Midas and the Golden Touch

by M. Charlotte Craft

Book Overview

"There once lived a very rich king called Midas
who believed that nothing was more precious than gold."

So begins this imaginative and breathtaking retelling of the myth of the man with the golden touch. When a mysterious stranger offers to reward Midas for a kindness, the king does not hesitate: He wishes that all he touches would turn to gold. To his delight, his wish is granted and he soon sets about transforming his ordinary...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006054063X
• ISBN13: 9780060540630
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.5" x 10.9"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Gorgeous Illustrations

Like all Craft books the illustrations are the headliner. They tell the story and draw readers (of all ages) into the story. Learn the myth through wonderful & detailed paintings. My 7 yr old granddaughter loves all of Craft’s work(& me, too)- she is collecting Craft books.

BEYOND A DOUBT, THE ILLUSTRATIONS MAKE THIS BOOK

The tale told here is well done and is a good rendering but in this case, the wonderfully detailed and golden illustrations make the book. I found that as I read each page to the children, if I paused and had them study each and ever picture, the questions would start flying. Each child saw something new in each picture and the discussion went on and on which is a good thing. It make the kids actually think. The tale of course is a good one with several lessons to be learned. Old tales are quite often the best ones as they have stood the test of time and this is a perfect example of this. Highly recommend this one.

"A Man Can Never Have Enough Gold..."

It's impossible to exaggerate the beauty of K. Y. Craft's artwork. Every shadow, every fold of cloth, every strand of hair, every background scene is stunning in its detail, colour and composition. Forget whatever story is being narrated; the illustrations are glorious enough to sustain any story on their own. "King Midas and the Golden Touch" is one of three Greek tales that Craft has illustrated, along with "Cupid and Psyche" and "Pegasus", both of which also come very highly recommended. Here the tale of the greedy King Midas is told simply and elegantly by Charlotte Craft, with all the trappings and details of the original myth. After hosting a mysterious stranger at his dinner table, Midas is given his heart's desire - that anything he touches be turned to gold. At first the gift seems wonderful as he transforms his palace and gardens to gold...but everything comes with a price, as he discovers when trying to eat a meal, clothe himself, and hug his precious daughter Aurelia. Once the King realises the error of his ways, the stranger once again appears to divulge the watery antidote to the golden touch. But the centrepiece of the tale is clearly K. Y. Craft's illustrations that light up every page, and are sometimes given two-page spreads to better appreciate their beauty. She adds several clever ideas; the stranger (never named in the text as Dionysus/Bacchus, but given an outfit with a grapevine motif as a clever indication of his true identity) is old when Midas first sees him, but young when he grants the King's wish, the golden touch washing over everything in sight is beautiful, but also vaguely sinister as it covers all the vibrant colours of the picture, and the angelic-looking Aurelia is flanked everywhere she goes by two huge German Shepherds. One slightly odd thing about the pictures is that they seem to meld the landscape of ancient Greece with the architecture and fashion of the Middle Ages, resulting in a depiction of a time period that never truly existed. This certainly does not deplete the beauty of the book, but if you are looking for a version of the Midas story that is portrayed in mythological Greece, I recommend John Warren Stewig and Omar Rayyan's collaboration, which (as much as I love Craft's books) I believe is the best retelling of the Midas myth. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from getting both!

Lovely Book Worth Owning - a review of "King Midas & the Golden Touch"

King Midas--We all know the story. It has been told for generations by parents around the world. A king gets his values `confused' and almost looses everything of real value (such as his daughter) as he greedily pursues sparkling gold. It remains a favorite, I think, because all of us need to be reminded, from time to time, that material things are not really the well-spring of happiness. Health and love come first and it is on the latter that the Craft's focus. In this lovely, lavish book, the Crafts produce a convincing telling of the story. For example, I have looked at other books where the father's expression of love towards his daughter is not all that convincing. In this one you can feel the King's distress as he holds his lifeless daughter. Five Stars. A wonderful book. The Craft's tell the tale especially well. The story is well paced and the artwork is simply sumptuous. Worth owning for the story and the art

Breathtaking artwork enhances a classic tale

"King Midas and the Golden Touch," retold by Charlotte Craft with illustrations by K.Y. Craft, is an outstanding version of a classic tale. Although you may have read or seen versions of this story before, this book is truly special.The story of King Midas, who gains the power to turn anything he touches to gold, is a tale with an important lesson. The story teaches us to not be greedy, and to treasure the people and things that we take for granted. These are important ideas for both children and adults. Charlotte Craft presents this story in straightforward, yet elegant language. A typical line: "The roses glistened with the morning dew, and their scent gently perfumed the air."But it is Kinuko Y. Craft's breathtaking artwork that really brings magic to this collaboration. Each illustration looks like a classic painting by an old master--lovingly detailed and alive with rich colors. K.Y. Craft's realistic portrayals of people, animals, and plants are an effective complement to the fantasy elements of the story. This book is both a timeless tale and a stunning work of art.

This book with pictures helps the reader to enjoy the story

This elaborately illustrated book helps the reader enjoy the story of King Midas and his golden touch. The pictures will draw the reader first. The story is well written and the page lay-out is pleasing to the eye. It will interest students and teachers alike. Highly reccommended for grades 1 - 4.