Genres
Collection
Publication
Scholastic Inc. (2020), Edition: Illustrated, 304 pages
Description
As the legend of the fearsome Ickabog spreads terror in the peaceful kingdom of Cornucopia, best friends Bert and Daisy set out to discover the truth and bring happiness back to the kingdom.
User reviews
LibraryThing member 06nwingert
In a small country called Cornucopia, the Ickabog — a monster that devours humans and animals— was considered a myth. Until the kind and his advisors lead an expedition to find the monster. They begin imposing taxes to keep the country safe from the monster, leading to poverty.all the while,
As with most fairy tales, there is a moral to the story. In this case, the moral is that man does more damage than any monster, and man can be a monster. J. K. Rowling weaves a thrilling, page-turning morality tale.
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two young children— Bert and Daisy— are caught in an adventure they never planned, leading them straight to the monster. Bert and Daisy prove to the country that the monster is harmless. As with most fairy tales, there is a moral to the story. In this case, the moral is that man does more damage than any monster, and man can be a monster. J. K. Rowling weaves a thrilling, page-turning morality tale.
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LibraryThing member nadineeg
Well written, designed to be read aloud.
LibraryThing member ecataldi
I have to preface this by saying - no I don't support JK Rowling and her deluded thoughts on transgendered people. I felt icky for even reading this, I had to completely separate the author from her work. That being said, I did enjoy the story and I thought it had a good moral lessons and was an
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overall good kids story. I also loved that children were the illustrators; it added a little extra whimsy and fun. The Ickabog is about monsters and kings, deceptive advisors, loyalty, friendship, and tall tales. What happens when a King swears he saw a monster? A monster that killed the captain of his guard - what happens if it was all a hoax? How wrapped up can the kingdom get? How can one lie hurt everyone? Scarily relevant and timely. Show Less
LibraryThing member fionaanne
A fun old-school folk tale, full of predictable tropes and stock characters which starts out strong but gets a bit laboured after the halfway point. Reminscent of Dickens being paid per installment, this book goes on for far too long because of the circumstances under which it was first presented
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to the public. Show Less
LibraryThing member LVStrongPuff
This book was okay. I liked it, but didn't love it. I felt the story was several different classic and folklore stories pieced together.
LibraryThing member Al-G
This is a really interesting story and while it purports to be a young adult book, the story is multidimensional and will certainly speak to adults as well. The country of Cornucopia is a wonderful place to live - it is thriving and its people are prospering and King Fred is popular and well-liked.
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But there is a snake in the garden, so to speak. Spittleworth and his friend, Flappoon, have ingratiated themselves to the king and are not well intentioned. They are corrupt and greedy and when fear of the legendary Ickabog reaches a dramatic climax they see their opportunity. Through a series of accidents and well-planned incidents, they manage to take control of the kingdom and soon it is no longer flourishing. But a group of kids is determined to help, but how? I generally like Rowling's writing and this one is no exception. The story reads easily and it has an interesting plot and echoes of meaning for our modern world hidden in the fairy tale. It is an interesting read. Show Less
Awards
The British Book Industry Awards (Shortlist — Children’s Fiction — 2021)
Language
Original publication date
2020-11-10
Pages
304
ISBN
1338732870 / 9781338732870