The King's Court

By Beth Elliott

All hail King George of the four square court in this laugh-out-loud tale of a meteoric rise to playground power and subsequent fall from grace.

George hates recess. He's always frozen in freeze tag, the first found in hide-and-seek, and he never scores in soccer. But all of that changes when he discovers that he has a knack for the game four square. He quickly becomes reigning king of the court -- but with power and prestige come the pressure to stay on top.

King George claims his territory, forms a secret army, makes his own rules and starts charging candy as admission to play. Finally, he organizes a tournament to prove his four square excellence once and for all. When the results aren't what he'd hoped, George comes to realize that the best kingdoms aren't ruled by one, they're ruled by the people.

This funny story about playground dynamics and fair play considers how a fun and fair space for all trumps power for one. Ginger Ngo's expressive illustrations convey the thrill of the game along with the emotional ups and downs of recess. Back matter provides more information about four square and ideas for inclusive games and recess play.

Key Text Features

illustrations

Correlates to the Common Core States Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4

Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3

Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7

Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1779461062
• ISBN13: 9781779461063
• Release Date: August 2027
• Publisher: Groundwood Books
• Length: 40 Pages
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3