The Emperor's New Clothes
The Emperor's New Clothes is an old classic retold by Marcus Sedgwick. It is the story of a king who is so vain and conceited that he is tricked into believing that a magic spell can be cast on clothes that will reveal foolish people.
Two tailors deceitfully agree to make the king a magical set of clothes that only the wise can see. The King arranges a parade to show off his new clothes. The tailors pretend to make clothes that aren't really there and the servants pretend to see them because they don't want to be labeled as fools. The king pretends to see them too because he doesn't want his royal subjects to think he is a fool. The king then sets out in a procession to show off his new clothes.
Everyone is afraid to say what he or she really thinks, so they all pretend to see the clothes. Then a small voice in the crowd speaks up and says what everyone else is thinking. The secret is revealed and everyone begins to laugh at the foolish king.
My son enjoyed this story very much. I enjoyed the opportunity to help him understand the lesson that the story teaches. We both enjoyed the illustrations.
