A modern fairy-tale, akin to The Emperor's New Clothes, told with sophistication and paired with extraordinary beautiful illustrations in monotones, juxtaposed with vibrant yellow.' - Space on the Bookshelf A little prince who is afraid of the dark vows that he will ban it when he becomes king in this original fairy-tale from British author/illustrator Emily Haworth-Booth. His ministers concoct a plan to convince the people that a world constantly lit is a good thing, and all goes well at first. But soon the king's subjects grow weary of never having the peace and comfort of the dark. They in turn concoct a plan, complete with fireworks display, to demonstrate to the king that the dark can be a good thing... In her 1951 book, The Origins of Totalitarianism, Hannah Arendt writes that the essence of totalitarianism is to convince a people that it is real. She says that the strength of totalitarian propaganda inheres in its ability to isolate the masses from the real world, to behave as if the new reality is the truth, and to normalise it. If everyone in a society, or at least the great (mainly unthinking and passive) majority starts to be convinced that the false is true, a fruitful platform for all kinds of manipulation is created. This is also a vitally important message for democratic society today – the story reminds us that truth does exist and that it is extremely dangerous to forget it, to stop wondering what is correct and what is incorrect.

It's not often that you get a children's picture book that perfectly sums up prevailing social and political attitudes, how power works to corrupt, and how easy it is to get worked up over nothing. This is a brilliant book, which does not need to be read as political satire.' - Early Years Educator MagazineWe need the dark to be able to sleep properly; the perfect balance of day and night that marks out time. A timeless tale of courage, consequences and unexpected wonder with quirky, lively illustrations.' - INIS 2018-19 Reading Guide

There was once a little boy who was afraid of the dark. There's nothing unusual about that. Most children are afraid of the dark at one time of another. But this little boy was a Prince, and he decided that when he became King, he would do something about the dark.Just from the title, I can imagine having a lively discussion with my KS1 class about the dark! Why would someone want to ban the dark and would it be a good idea? This way children can begin to make predictions about what the book will uncover! It creates some ridiculously funny scenarios of what it would be like if the lights were kept on the whole time. A thought-provoking picture book ... Haworth-Booth's pencil-shaded artwork is pleasing, while her text warns gently but firmly against responding too readily to fear.' -- Imogen Russell Williams - The Guardian A thoughtful read with themes of rebellion, fear and overreaching. On the surface, this is a fun story about a King who fears the dark, and who makes every effort to never have to encounter it again. Putting a ban on the dark, the people live in never-ending light- but it cannot last forever! A closer look reveals darker undertones regarding the power of dangerous ideologies, and how easily thoughts can be manipulated through the spreading of fear by those of authority. This is told with humour throughout, making it less scary and allowing this book to be accessed at different levels by all of the key stages.

A king has a fear of the dark and so he decides to ban it completely. A class could discuss the impact of fake news in our current society and the importance of having a critical eye when reading. It links nicely to science, looking at light and dark - why we need both of them and what else might have happened in the kingdom when there was only light. When the King bans the dark completely, installing an artificial sun, and enforcing "anti-dark" laws, it seems like a good idea. The citizens don't need to worry about any of the scary things that might live in the dark. Having studied graphic design at art school in Aberdeen, I started my career by designing theatre posters and set designs before moving into marketing and advertising. Fast forward 25 years and I have now worked on major campaigns for some of the biggest UK and international brands as well as high street retailers. Alongside her children’s picture books, Emily is currently working on a long-form graphic memoir for adults. Her short comics have previously appeared in print in the Observer and Vogue and her first children’s book, The King Who Banned the Dark, was shortlisted for numerous awards including the Klaus Flugge Prize and IBW Book A beautiful picture book with a hopeful, rebellious message and effective illustrations using a limited colour palette. A young boy who is scared of the dark grows up to become King and bans the dark...yet even the dark has its uses and its beauty. The people of his kingdom decide to take matters into their own hands after a life of constant light begins to have a bad impact on people's lives.

Would be an excellent book for introducing speech to children in English - all of the dialogue in the story uses speech bubbles. This makes it very clear which parts are narration and which are spoken. To abandon facts is to abandon freedom. If nothing is true, then no one can criticizse power, because there is no basis upon which to do so. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle. The biggest wallet pays for the most blinding lights. Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny Wonderful book about overcoming worries/fears and finding the beauty/positives in things we were once scared of! An important message to get across to children, especially in KS1. Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing -