The King Who Banned the Dark

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Propaganda ให้ประชาชนไม่ชอบความมืด แล้วมาร้องขอพระราชา โดยพระราชาก็แค่ตอบสนอง (สิ่งที่ตัวเองอยากได้) ประชาชนก็ดีใจชื่นชอบ When the King has the artificial sun installed, we had a lovely chat about what we thought might be the issues with this and what the benefits might be ‘no bedtime’ being an obvious but misguided thought from my seven-year-old! A thought-provoking picture book ... Haworth-Booth's pencil-shaded artwork is pleasing, while her text warns gently but firmly against responding too readily to fear.' -- Imogen Russell Williams - The Guardian

Alongside her children’s picture books, Emily is currently working on a long-form graphic memoir for adults. Her short comics have previously appeared in print in the Observer and Vogue and her first children’s book, The King Who Banned the Dark, was shortlisted for numerous awards including the Klaus Flugge Prize and IBW Book I love beautiful picture books that use a limited colour palette, like The King Who Banned The Dark. Immediately, I was drawn to read it, and I'm very glad that I did because I've found a new favourite! The illustrations, whilst simplistic, are lovely and make for a very enjoyable read. Emily Haworth-Booth is an author-illustrator and educator, teaching courses on comics,graphic novels and illustration at the Royal Drawing School in London and running workshopsfor adults and children at book festivals, in schools, and at other locations nationwide. Armistice Day: A Collection of Remembrance - Spark Interest and Educate Children about Historical Moments

LoveReading4Kids Says

Together you could role play a scene from the story with one of you being the king and the other one of the advisors.

Thus begins The King Who Banned the Dark, a complex, multiple award-winning picture book for adults and children by the English writer and illustrator, Emily Haworth-Booth, published by Pavilion Books in 2018. A King, who has been frightened of the dark since childhood, decides he wants to ban it. His advisors suggest that the best way to get his people to accept the ban is to make them believe it was their idea. So they set about spreading negative rumours about the dark. The plan works, and the people embrace the King’s ban wholeheartedly. But soon the novelty of all-night partying under artificial lights (including an enormous electric sun) begins to wear off as the people realise they can’t sleep under the glare of all those lightbulbs. Also as a post discussion, we could make some cross curricular links! Yes, no dark means no sleep! But what else wouldReaders can only hope that, as in this story, they will live to see a rational resistance to superficiality, to that constant dazzle, behind which no true, real content is concealed. For when it became clear that all were tired of so much light and celebrating and that they needed a change, the guards had to be outwitted, and the artificial sunlight switched off. At this moment, The King Who Banned the Dark becomes a story of resistance and the possibility of the individual to oppose the unthinking, automatic and often dangerous straying of the mass. Some people will be able to separate themselves from the crowd, shout that the emperor has no clothes, and really set off and work for their own and for the common good. Real changes will be instigated by thinking individuals who want to do good, especially if they have some help and don’t feel completely alone in their efforts. That is what happened in this story – organised resistance bore fruit.

Politics and environmental issues are subjects close to her heart and often appear as themes in her work. Emily’s hotly-tipped debut children’s book, The King Who Banned the Dark (Pavilion, 2018), was shortlisted for numerous prestigious awards: The Klaus Flugge Award (for debut illustrators), The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award, The Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize, IndependentBookshop Week Book Award. The book is currently nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal. But this is also a story about the importance of truth and knowledge and the harmfulness of manipulation and indoctrination. Fears have to be understood; we have to enlighten ourselves with knowledge. The ancient Greeks, who did not understand the laws of physics well enough, thought that lightning was sent by the gods when they were angry. In the Middle Ages, when there was too little understanding of medicine, it was thought that people who healed others (often women) had some supernatural power and should be burned at the stake for it. This is particularly important today, when the phenomenon of post-truth, coupled with irrationality and receptiveness to conspiracy theories, has led to basic scientific premises being called into question.But what happens when nobody can sleep, and the citizens revolt? Will the King face his fears and turn the lights off?