How to Become King

by Jan Terlouw

Book Overview

Seventeen years after the king of Katoren dies, a boy aspires to win the crown and is tested with seven impossible tasks by six Ministers. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0803830394
• ISBN13: 9780803830394
• Release Date: January 1978
• Publisher: Hastings House Book Publishers
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Age Range: 10 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 9

Customer Reviews

One of the best children's books ever

Sometimes I feel so sad when an outstandingly good fiction disappers. This book is unfortunately, slowly but surely, falling for this category. Read it while it's still available.The book combines fantasy world and every day life at least as neatly as our well-known HP.The story is about a boy who lost his parents on the day he was born. That stormy night didn't only take the life of his parents but his country, fictional Katoren, lost his beloved king too. The boy gets raised by his warm-harted uncle, who works hard to provide a happy life for the boy. In the meantime Katoren is governed by the late king's cabinet members, for the king died without an offspring. Not wanting to give up the new-found power, these head-to-toe politicans keep postponing the day to appoint a new king. Our hero is already 17 years-old. He decides he would go up to the ministers and ask them How To Become a King of the country. The ministers plan to dismiss him but the boy arrives with the press to the meeting.(Can you belive it? The book was written in the seventies, and the media is already a superpower)The cabinet is forced to make up a way to statisfy the press but they try to make sure that the boy wouldn't be king. They tell him he will have to do 7 tasks. He would have to fight dragons and gnoms and misteriously swelling noses. How will he get to the towns in need? By train of course. So the adventure begins. I wouldn't want to give away more of the story. It's a fairly short book don't expect the usual fantasy book length. Don't worry though it's perfect the way it is. I would like to recommend this book for all ages. One of those books that when you finished you go back to front end read again (at least the best parts), because you feel you got something extra, something to treasure. Something you didn't expect to be so good.

One of my favorite books of all time

This was my favorite book as a child and I still read it now and then. It's a wonderful story - funny and exciting - with plenty of twists and turns. It's about a boy who decides to become a king in the somewhat modern world of Katoren. Katoren used to have king but he died on the same night the boy was born and since he didn't leave any heirs the country has been run by a cabin of ministers ever since. When the 17 year old challanges them they are forced to come up with 7 impossibe-to-solve tests for him to prove his worthiness (fully expecting him to fail.) The tasks take him to several towns in the country where he is expected to solve various problems; among them cure a disease, disarm a tree, get rid of deafening birds and slay a dragon. Oh and jump out af a high tower without a harness. Recommended for everyone.

How to become the best book!

Hey to any adventure fans. This book is like a medieval hero story. It's about a boy who undergoes many challenges that involve wits in order to become king of the land..READ it..I loved it!