Well. Yesterday I was all excited to pick up this new novel. I thought it looked very promising, as it was about a Chinese American girl who fell in love with a Japanese American boy and of course their parents disapproved. But to tell you the truth I think I got about 6 pages in and I realized I would never make it to the end. Horrendous writing.

So instead I picked up Sarah Ellis' newest picture book. Can I just say that I met her a few months ago, and I just about fell over? She is my hero! And also she's really really tiny!

Anyways, so her new book is called The Queen's Feet and its' illustrated by Dusan Petricic, who I will unfortunately always associate with Margaret Atwood's picture books. Shudder. But this one might redeem him in my eyes.

Queen Daisy, it seems has some rather unruly feet. They are not at all queenly, and always causing trouble. They kick the neighboring country's king (while wearing hiking books!), they make her do the splits during balls, and walk in fish ponds during garden parties. Appropriately, Petricic's illustrations are all at foot level. You never see anyone's face until right near the end, when a huge meeting is called to solve the problem of the Queen's feet. Fortunately, a solution that works for everyone (feet included) is suggested, and when we finally catch a glimpse of Daisy, she is relaxing, sharing a lemon popsicle with her husband, Prince Fred, while he gives "her feet a good rub. And that was very nice. For both of them."

Though the text isn't rhyming (why do picture books always have to be rhyming?), this one would be perfect for a read aloud. Any kid can relate to having no control over fidgety body parts, and Ellis' solution to the problem is both whimsical and practical.

The Queen's Feet written by Sarah Ellis illustrated by Dusan Petricic
ISBN 0889953201
32 pages