| King Matt the First Contributor(s): Korczak, Janusz (Author), Lourie, Richard (Translator), Codell, Esmé Raji (Introduction by) |
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ISBN: 1565124421 ISBN-13: 9781565124424 Publisher: Algonquin Books OUR PRICE: $22.79 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: October 2004 Annotation: Janusz Korczak was a Polish physician and educator who wrote over twenty books--his fiction was in his time as well known as "Peter Pan, and his nonfiction works bore passionate messages of child advocacy. During World War II, the Jewish orphanage he directed was relocated to the Warsaw ghetto. Although Korczak's celebrity afforded him many chances to escape, he refused to abandon the children. He was killed at Treblinka along with the children. "King Matt the First, one of Korczak's most beloved tales, is the story of a boy who becomes king and sets out to reform his kingdom. He decrees that all children are to be given a piece of chocolate at the end of each day. He visits faraway lands and befriends cannibal kings. Whenever his ministers tell him something's impossible, he puts them in jail. He disguises himself as a soldier and becomes a hero. But, as in real life, fantasy is tempered by reality: Matt's fellow kings become jealous of his success--and in the end, Matt falls, although it's clear that he was the greatest king there ever was. Now this rediscovered classic is available again, and with a vibrant new cover by award-winning artist Brian Selznick. This timeless tale shows that only through the honesty and spontaneity of children can grown-ups begin to imagine and to create a better world. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes - General (see Also Headings Under Family) - Juvenile Fiction | Royalty |
| Dewey: FIC |
| LCCN: 2004048616 |
| Lexile Measure: 850 |
| Physical Information: 0.98" H x 5.86" W x 9.2" (1.13 lbs) 330 pages |
| Accelerated Reader Info |
| Quiz #: 82775 Reading Level: 6.2 Interest Level: Middle Grades Point Value: 14.0 |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Janusz Korczak was a Polish physician and educator who wrote over twenty books--his fiction was in his time as well known as Peter Pan, and his nonfiction works bore passionate messages of child advocacy. During World War II, the Jewish orphanage he directed was relocated to the Warsaw ghetto. Although Korczak's celebrity afforded him many chances to escape, he refused to abandon the children. He was killed at Treblinka along with the children. King Matt the First, one of Korczak's most beloved tales, is the story of a boy who becomes king and sets out to reform his kingdom. He decrees that all children are to be given a piece of chocolate at the end of each day. He visits faraway lands and befriends cannibal kings. Whenever his ministers tell him something's impossible, he puts them in jail. He disguises himself as a soldier and becomes a hero. But, as in real life, fantasy is tempered by reality: Matt's fellow kings become jealous of his success--and in the end, Matt falls, although it's clear that he was the greatest king there ever was. Now this rediscovered classic is available again, and with a vibrant new cover by award-winning artist Brian Selznick. This timeless tale shows that only through the honesty and spontaneity of children can grown-ups begin to imagine and to create a better world. |
Contributor Bio(s): Korczak, Janusz: - Janusz KorczakK wrote the classic children's book King Matt the First and many nonfiction works. To mark the centennial of Korczak's birth, the United Nations declared 1979 the International Year of the Child and dedicated it to him. Korczak perished in 1942 in Treblinka, along with the Jewish orphans he refused to abandon.Codell, Esme Raji: - A nationally renowned advocate for literacy and literature-based instruction, Esme Raji Codell is today "one of the nation's most sought-after voices for empowering teachers" (People) and a "Superstar of Education" (Scolastic Instructor). Esme has been interviewed on CBS This Morning, CNN, C-SPAN's Book Talk, and NPR. The author of How to Get Your Child to Love Reading as well as award-winning books for children, Esme lives with her husband and son in Chicago, where she spent many years as an educator in Chicago public schools and now runs the popular children's literature Web site PlanetEsme.com and the unique literary salon, the PlanetEsme Bookroom. |