Review by Booklist Review
In this peculiar picture-book hairy tale, we find a gloriously rendered kingdom chock-full of arguing grown-ups. Every citizen, always with a magnificently flowing hairstyle, is arguing on every page--over how to untangle the king's seemingly endless beard, how to feed noodles to the queen's hounds, and any other scenario that arises, no matter how absurd. After the king and queen announce a contest to determine the best arguer, the people are too busy arguing to even notice that the competition has begun. They carry on--until a lightning strike sets the king's rolling beard ablaze, and they must agree on the best way to save the situation. There's an otherworldly delight to the strange world Luyken has crafted, made wondrous by the vivid, fine-lined illustrations depicting countless arguers in a wonderful sort of Victorian-circus fashion, all topped with long, extravagantly styled hairdos. This is art that can be pored over time and time again, and young readers will jump at the chance to argue themselves, prompted or not. Strangely beautiful.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In the quarrelsome kingdom where this picture book is set, the thing common to all inhabitants is their elaborately coiffed, flowing hairstyles. Similarity aside, it's a full-on battle royale: what starts as a spat about the effectiveness of brush versus comb in detangling the king's serpentine beard expands across the kingdom until everyone "could argue forward and backward, right side up, and upside down." Luyken (The Tree in Me) adds that the opponents quarrel in all weather, and relish arguing not only with each other but also with flowers, fences, doorknobs, the wind--"even with the smallest of stones in the road." Soon, the royals hold a contest to decide who's the realm's best arguer, but when the king's luxuriant beard catches fire, everyone quickly forgets their differences and becomes part of an impromptu bucket brigade. As the kingdom's residents move from clashes to cooperation via an elegant, classic fairy tale tone, watercolor, ink, pencil, and gouache drawings combine the prickly energy of Ralph Steadman with the swooping lines of art nouveau style. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The Arguers--staffers who serve a royal family--take pleasure in bickering over even the smallest things until a crisis brings them together. The first argument begins with a dispute over whether to detangle the king's copious beard with a brush or a comb. From there, the Arguers find ways to disagree with one another about everything from how to decorate the princess's throne to which spoon to use to serve noodles to the queen's hounds. When they can't quarrel with each other, they squabble with stones and flowers. Proud of their talents, they hold a competition to determine who's the best arguer in the kingdom. Of course, when the contest begins, everyone's already too busy arguing to notice. Then a storm strikes, and a bolt of lightning sets the king's beard ablaze. Faced with a real emergency, everyone works together without a word of dissent. They form a bucket brigade, douse the flames, and trim the king's scorched beard. Although the Arguers promptly revert back to their old ways, they've shown that they can cooperate when it truly counts. Luyken's storytelling charms with whimsy and dry wit, and her illustrations steal the show with enormous, elaborate hairstyles, bedecked in bows or crowned with oversize hats. The over-the-top Regency styling, paired with a multiracial cast of characters, delights withBridgerton-esque appeal. Thoroughly enchanting, without argument.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
