King for a Day

Review
By Children's Literature

Kromer uses mixed media and collage to create a striking and successful visual story, with the kites providing the major visual impact. A double-page scene of the flight from the rooftop with close to a hundred brilliant kites being guided to cut others free is most powerful. The naturalistic illustrations also inform us about the streets, houses, and clothing. The final double-page night scene from the rooftop showing the sky full of stars and exploding rockets makes a satisfying ending.