Max is one lucky dog. His owner is a superb chef, and Max's duty is to taste the delicious food that he prepares before it's presented to the king. When a new king turns out to be a picky eater, Max and the cook travel the world in search of tempting recipes to wow him. Who could refuse french fries, pizza, or chili tacos? The new king, that's who! After refusing three meals in a row, the new king is after the cook's head. Can Max sniff out the reason for the king's lack of appetite, or will he be out of a job for good? Reason for Reading: I am reading all of the author's books.This is the first time I haven't been thrilled with an Oppel book. I have to say this one did nothing for me. The boy king behaves like a spoiled brat throwing all food given to him against the wall, enabling the dog to enjoy the hearty left-overs. It isn't until the end that he is found out to be a secret candy eater and has to be threatened with "telling his mother" does he become frightened enough to behave. Said mother is never present in the book. The boy king then tries the food, and night after night, low and behold, he discovers he likes it. Not exactly any good role models to be found here and the message is lost when the boy has to be threatened with a parent. The humour is lost on me. Of course, the intended audience will enjoy the story if it is read to them without any interruption about the bad behaviour being displayed, if you want to celebrate such behaviour without consequences.On a positive note, the husband and wife team who illustrated this book did a magnificent job. I just love the mixed-media collage paintings. They've included fabrics and text from old recipe cards, candy wrappers and I believe they've used inks (though it may be water colours). Just fantastic illustrations!
What do You think about The King's Taster (2009)?
The story is told by the cook's dog. I love his point of view and I thought the book was adorable!
—zaar71
Cute story and works great as a read-aloud for ages 3 and up. Love the illustrations; very clever!
—Millerna4733
