Synopses & Reviews
Prince Silencio is about a Prince, whose father, the King, cannot tolerate noise. When the Prince is born, the King's subjects celebrate so loudly that the King roars for silence. In this way, the Prince comes to be named Silencio. The Prince grows into a handsome, but shy young man. One day the King summons Silencio to him and appoints him his Minister of Silence, charged with keeping the people quiet. One fateful day the king dies and a joyful, loud, wild tumult convulses the Kingdom. Once again, people are able to give themselves over to singing, shouting, talking and laughing. Prince Silencio, smitten by the beauty of the noise, wants to join in the merrymaking, but the people drive him away, worried that he will impose silence upon them once again. It doesn't take long for them to discover that without Silencio, it becomes impossible for them to hear anything at all. Their words run together, becoming a blare of noise. They become agitated and aggravated. Chaos ensues. In the end, the people call Prince Silencio back, having realized the need for silence between their words, their songs, and in their lives. Prince Silencio makes a terrific read aloud book, with the words and pictures playing off each other in wonderful ways. Further play and pleasure are provided by the book's last page, a list of words and phrases, such as frog in your throat, squeal like a pig, bray and cackle, all of which can be found in the illustrations.
Review
A Bank Street College of Education Childrens Book of the Year
An oversized and overwhelmingly beautiful book...” Daniel Pinkwater, Wondertime Magazine
Arch wit and striking artwork mark this Belgian artists debut.” Publishers Weekly
...the size and the color of the artwork and the simple text make this a good book to share with groups.” School Library Journal
Unique and colorful illustrations support the story. The message of this book...would be an excellent read aloud to stimulate discussion with older readers.” Assn. Region XI School Librarians, Ft. Worth, TX
A wonderful book to share with your children
” jellymom.com
Prince Silencio is charmingly written and brilliantly illustrated
very highly recommended as a purely enchanting and thoroughly entertaining tale of passion, exile, acceptance, and enjoyment.” The Midwest Book Review
Synopsis
A picturebook influence by James Ensor This books is not only visually stunning, but it is alive with language. I have seen classrooms of children at PS 29 in Brooklyn in a delighted, poetic frenzy after going through theh idioms at the end. A valuable modern fable about noise, silence and power, told in terms that children understand. Reviews, cont'd: "Unique and colorful illustrations support the story. The message of this book...would be an excellent read aloud to stimulate discussion with older readers."--Assn. Region XI School Librarians, Ft. Worth, TX "A wonderful book to share with your children...."--jellymom.com "Prince Silencio is charmingly written and brilliantly illustrated.... very highly recommended as a purely enchanting and thoroughly entertaining tale of passion, exile, acceptance, and enjoyment."--The Midwest Book Review
Synopsis
A modern fairy tale that invites children to think about language, noise, and silence.
About the Author
Born in 1976 and a graduate of the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts, Anne expresses an original world in each of her books. Endlessly curious and rigorous in her work, Anne has written and illustrated over 20 children's books and has published a number of comic books for an older audience.