The Queen's Feet by Sarah Ellis, Dusan Petricic (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize (2007) nominee

Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice, 2007

Queen Daisy can't help it - It's her feet that are misbehaving!

Queen Daisy had a great deal of trouble with her feet. They had a mind of their own and did not like behaving in a royal way. Proper shoes were out of the question, and sometimes her feet did not wear shoes at all! Her feet were especially naughty when Queen Daisy forced them to dress properly. At balls her feet would kick high in the air or tap-dance on the marble palace floors. Once, when a king from a neighboring kingdom brought his mean, bullying ways to Queen Daisy's court, her feet hauled off and kicked the king in the ankle. That's when a meeting had to be called of all the wise women and wizards and footmen in the kingdom to find a solution to Queen Daisy's terrible problem. And what a solution it turns out to be.

Queen Daisy's feet will dance into the hearts of restless feet everywhere.

Sarah Ellis's wonderfully whimsical tale will ring a bell with all children and adults whose feet get restless. And Du_an Petricic illustrations may well encourage a little more unroyal behavior.

Publishers Weekly

Queen Daisy's feet just get itchy for fun. Ellis's (The Several Lives of Orphan Jack) clever text and Petricic's (On Tumbledown Hill) amusing ink-and-watercolor illustrations juxtapose playfulness and propriety with uproarious results, and children will be delighted with the queen's propensity to get herself unintentionally into royal trouble. Petricic appropriately focuses most of the illustrations literally on feet alone, as the courtiers line up to dance or as Queen Daisy's feet kick off proper monarch shoes in favor of fuzzy dog slippers or sandals to show off her purple painted toenails. But when the monarch's feet haul off and kick a visiting bullying king in the shins, she (and her subjects) feels she must address her problem. "The queen and the queen's feet invited all the sages, wise women, wizards, fairy godmothers, and, of course, footmen, in the land to a meeting." Ellis's text brims with puns and eccentric details, and readers will revel in the wise advice of the Queen's counselors: "For one hour each day the queen's feet ruled." With its whimsical humor and its support for the importance of rebellion (in small doses), this foot-stomping read-aloud will please plenty of fidgety youngsters. All ages. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Ilene S. Goldman - Children's Literature

Just one look at the cover illustration and you'll want to pick this book up! Once you do, Sara Ellis' lovely, clever story and Dusan Petricic's fanciful ink-and-watercolor illustrations will make this book a quick favorite. Queen Daisy's feet are quite naughty—they dance when they shouldn't, fidget during important audiences, and even dare to kick a visiting king in the shin. Dozens of advisors are convened to determine how to control the feet. Finally, the Queen's feet and the Queen's advisors reach a compromise that will delight children: they agree to let the Queen's feet rule for one hour a day. Petricic focuses the illustrations on Queen Daisy's feet as they "walk out of the royal shoes and right into a pond where the goldfish tickle[d] her toes" and misbehave in other colorful ways. The story will appeal to children of all ages—we all have a hard time controlling our feet when we're bored or anxious, don't we? Petricic's rich watercolor illustrations will enchant children and keep them engaged. A wonderful read-aloud story for a toddler snuggled up in a lap, this is a rollicking tale of a small rebellion contained through compromise. It will keep parents and children laughing and looking as they read it again and again. 2006, Northern Lights Books for Children/Red Deer Press, Ages 3 to 8.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1-Once upon a time there lived a queen with unruly feet. Instead of wearing royal shoes, they insist on sandals, fuzzy slippers, and heavy boots. They kickbox, tap dance, and do splits. Sometimes they walk off with the queen, interrupting her royal duties. While christening a ship, she finds herself climbing the rigging and landing head first in the crow's nest. Then one day her feet go too far and kick a visiting king in the ankle (in the feet's defense, he was a mean bully). Finally, her advisers find a solution: for one hour a day, the queen's feet can cut loose and run wild, provided they agree to wear proper shoes, walk quietly, and avoid puddles the rest of the time. Ellis's fun, spirited story matches well with Petricic's cartoon illustrations. The long, narrow book resembles a shoebox. Most of the spreads focus solely on the legs and feet, with muted colors for the properly behaved feet contrasting sharply with the queen's vibrant and altogether unruly ones. An energetic, fun story that will tickle the restless toes of children everywhere.-Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Embarrassed by misbehaving feet that prefer boots or slippers to sedate, queenly shoes, insist on wandering off during boring official events and act up outrageously on the dance floor, Queen Daisy calls in all "sages, wise women, wizards, fairy godmothers and, of course, footmen" for advice. Petricic keeps the focus on the footplay by portraying Daisy from knees down only until the last few cartoon scenes, her wayward tootsies usually facing different directions or flashing colorfully painted toenails. Ending in a compromise, in which the royal feet will mind their manners most of the time in exchange for a daily free hour and an occasional rub from Prince Fred, this episode is plainly intended to be a domestic problem-solver-but the overlaid plot supplies sufficient humor and misdirection to make the strategy persuasive. Required reading for all unruly little kickers, stompers, squirmers and scuffers. (Picture book. 5-7)

Product Details