The Queen's Feet

By Sarah Ellis and Dusan Petricic
Published by Calgary: Red Deer Press, 2006
ISBN #0-88995-329-1

In this charming picturebook from Vancouver author Sarah Ellis, (Next Stop, Odd Man Out), Queen Daisy simply cannot keep her spontaneous feet in check. Despite the queen’s efforts to wear proper shoes (instead of furry slippers), stay seated during boring speeches (instead of escaping to the kitchen), and refrain from kickboxing her way through royal balls, her feet just won’t behave. Petricic’s vibrant pen and ink/watercolour illustrations blend an eye for detail with cartoonish wit, portraying only the bottom half of the queen (representing the power her feet hold over her) until the story’s resolution. Young readers will delight in Queen Daisy’s mishaps, but many will also connect to her dilemma as well. How can someone be expected to stay still, when your feet just want to move? (And kick visiting kings, who think they are “the boss of everybody”, in the ankle?) Considering Queen Daisy’s “trouble with her feet”, this book comes highly recommended for classroom teachers at this time of year, when rules such as sitting still, staying in line with classmates, and especially, no kicking, are being reviewed. After a summer of freedom for everyone’s feet, The Queen’s Feet can be utilised during storytime as a playful reminder of back to school manners (and maybe not just for the students!)

Check out the author’s website at http://www3.telus.net/andyspandy/