King Midas and the Golden Touch: A Classic Story, and a Beautiful Book
Written: Oct 14 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A timeless message, lush illustrations, good retelling.
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: Trust the Midas Touch? Not so fast.
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| JediKermit's Full Review: Charlotte Craft - King Midas and the Golden Touch |
A few months ago I realized that my sons (ages 5 and 7) still hadn't heard some of the classic stories, and I wanted to be the one to share them with my sons. One story that I remember being fascinated by as a child was the story of King Midas. The magic, the horror and the message were all indelible, and I wanted to find a book that told the story well.
I found it in King Midas and the Golden Touch, the 1999 picture book written by Charlotte Craft and illustrated by K.Y. Craft. The story, which dates back to the 8th Century B.C. and a real King Midas, is retold wonderfully. The greed of King Midas is underplayed a bit, and we see that Midas is a good man who is a devoted father to his daughter Aurelia. When a stranger who Midas saves from starvation grants him a single wish, we all know what it is--the Golden Touch. Midas revels in his gift at first, but soon realizes that this blessing could become a curse.
I loved reading this book with my sons, partially due to the exquisite artwork by K.Y. Craft. The elaborate watercolor and oil paintings cover each page, and there's magic all over as Midas receives his Touch. Even the borders that frame each picture and the illuminated manuscript letters turn to gold as Midas works his way through his palace. My favorite pages are Midas' discovery that he can't eat food anymore--the food in his mouth turning to gold even while he's chewing. The king has a startled expression on his face, and we catch a glimpse of the golden nugget in his mouth.
This was a great one to read aloud and ask questions along the way, asking my sons what they thought King Midas' wish would be, how great it would be to have the gift (at first), and then what problems they anticipated King Midas having. My five year old anticipated the tragic climax of the story, when Aurelia herself is turned to gold; and the boys were relieved when everything was set right by the end of the story. Afterwards, we talked about lessons we could learn from King Midas, but also discussed what kind of magic "touch" we would want. For my seven year old it was water (???) and for my five year old it was chocolate (that's more like it!). For me...LEGO.
If you haven't read this story with your children before, the Crafts' version is a delightful one. It's filled with beauty, adventure, and a powerful message that will help us all...even when we already think we've learned the lesson.
Recommended:
Yes
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