The Conquerors by David McKee - Revision history

Sue at 08:37, 24 August 2020

2020-08-24T08:37:11Z

Sue at 15:52, 16 March 2018

2018-03-16T15:52:13Z

Jill at 16:33, 6 March 2018

2018-03-06T16:33:53Z

Sue at 15:09, 8 November 2014

2014-11-08T15:09:31Z

Keith at 09:54, 10 July 2011

2011-07-10T09:54:37Z

Keith at 09:05, 10 July 2011

2011-07-10T09:05:12Z

Keith: Created page with '{{infobox |title=The Conquerors |sort=Conquerors |author=David McKee |reviewer=Keith Dudhnath |genre=For Sharing |rating=5 |buy=Yes |borrow=Yes |isbn=978-1842704684 |paperback=18…'

2011-07-10T09:04:40Z

Created page with '{{infobox |title=The Conquerors |sort=Conquerors |author=David McKee |reviewer=Keith Dudhnath |genre=For Sharing |rating=5 |buy=Yes |borrow=Yes |isbn=978-1842704684 |paperback=18…'

New review

{{infobox
|title=The Conquerors
|sort=Conquerors
|author=David McKee
|reviewer=Keith Dudhnath
|genre=For Sharing
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=978-1842704684
|paperback=1842704680
|hardback=1842703307
|audiobook=
|ebook=
|pages=32
|publisher=Andersen
|date=July 2011
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1842704680</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1842704680</amazonus>
|website=http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/catalog/authorcb.htm?authorID=1567
|video=A fantastic tale of how violence and aggression can be conquered with warm-heartedness and kindness. Whereas pacifism and appeasement might be naive in practice, they're perfectly pitched for a picture book. Highly recommended.
|summary=
}}

The General rules the country, with his strong army and large cannon. The army stomps from country to country, conquering other people, until they've conquered all the countries except one. Rather than fighting back, this tiny little country treats the army as friends, welcoming them into their homes, with warmth and kindness.

I adored ''The Conquerors''. Its messages of acceptance, friendliness and setting a good example are perfectly handled. It raises issues of pacifism and appeasement, without getting into the complexities of when such policies don't work. However, it always feels pitched at its young audience, rather than one-sided and lacking in depth. Any parents with even the tiniest hint of a right-on liberal hippy bent will absolutely love ''The Conquerors''.

It's very much a message book, but that isn't its only strength. The pacing is spot on, allowing the plot to shine. The vocabulary will stretch and develop younger readers, but they'll always understand what's going on and won't feel lost. They may not know the phrase ''The spoils of war'', but when the General exclaims this, they'll understand what it means, and also the more sophisticated point that the General's country hasn't taken these things from the little country. The little country has conquered the aggressor, simply by setting a kind example.

David McKee's illustrations are excellent, as always. This, after all, is the man who gave us [[The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr Benn by David McKee|Mr Benn]] and [Elmer and the Hippos by David McKee|Elmer]]. The pictures are deceptively simple, yet full of character and expression. Each page perfectly illustrates the unfolding plot and has plenty for inquisitive young eyes to pore over. Some parents might be concerned about how war would be depicted in a picture book. There's just one page of war in ''The Conquerors'' and the tone is spot on: it's not remotely gruesome or scary, but it's not whitewashed over as some people are dead. It will spark conversation between children and parents, as will the whole book.

''The Conquerors'' should have a place on every child's bookshelf. It's a great story in its own right, but its message means it has valuable lessons woven deep into it. Highly recommended.

My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.

For another picture book about the horrors of war, check out [[A Child's Garden: A Story Of Hope by Michael Foreman]]. You can also take a look at our [[Top Ten Children's Books About Weighty Subjects]].

{{amazontext|amazon=1842704680}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=5354926}}

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@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 |cover=1842704680
 |website=http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/catalog/authorcb.htm?authorID=1567
 |summary=A fantastic tale of how violence and aggression can be conquered with warm-heartedness and kindness. Whereas pacifism and appeasement might be naive in practice, they're perfectly pitched for a picture book. Highly recommended.
 }}

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 It's very much a message book, but that isn't its only strength. The pacing is spot on, allowing the plot to shine. The vocabulary will stretch and develop younger readers, but they'll always understand what's going on and won't feel lost. They may not know the phrase ''The spoils of war'', but when the General exclaims this, they'll understand what it means, and also the more sophisticated point that the General's country hasn't taken these things from the little country. The little country has conquered the aggressor, simply by setting a kind example.
-David McKee's illustrations are excellent, as always. This, after all, is the man who gave us [[The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr Benn by David McKee|Mr Benn]] and [[Elmer and the Hippos by David McKee|Elmer]].  The pictures are deceptively simple, yet full of character and expression. Each page perfectly illustrates the unfolding plot and has plenty for inquisitive young eyes to pore over. Some parents might be concerned about how war would be depicted in a picture book. There's just one page of war in ''The Conquerors'' and the tone is spot on: it's not remotely gruesome or scary, but it's not whitewashed over as some people are dead. It will spark conversation between children and parents, as will the whole book.
+David McKee's illustrations are excellent, as always. This, after all, is the man who gave us [[The Extraordinary Adventures of Mr Benn by David McKee|Mr Benn]] and [[Elmer and the Hippos by David McKee|Elmer]].  The pictures are deceptively simple, yet full of character and expression. Each page perfectly illustrates the unfolding plot and has plenty for inquisitive young eyes to pore over. Some parents might be concerned about how war would be depicted in a picture book. There's just one page of war in ''The Conquerors'' and the tone is spot-on: it's not remotely gruesome or scary, but it's not whitewashed over as some people are dead. It will spark conversation between children and parents, as will the whole book.
 ''The Conquerors'' should have a place on every child's bookshelf. It's a great story in its own right, but its message means it has valuable lessons woven deep into it. Highly recommended.
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.
-For another picture book about the horrors of war, check out [[A Child's Garden: A Story Of Hope by Michael Foreman]]. You can also take a look at our [[Top Ten Children's Books About Weighty Subjects]].
+For another picture book about the horrors of war, check out [[A Child's Garden: A Story Of Hope by Michael Foreman]]. You can also take a look at our [[Top Ten Children's Books About Weighty Subjects]].  You might also enjoy [[Denver by David McKee]].
 {{amazontext|amazon=1842704680}}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{infobox
+{{infobox2
 |title=The Conquerors
 |sort=Conquerors
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |publisher=Andersen
 |date=July 2011
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1842704680</amazonuk>
+|aznuk=1842704680
-|amazonus=<amazonus>1842704680</amazonus>
+|aznus=1842704680
 |website=http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/catalog/authorcb.htm?authorID=1567
 |video=

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 |borrow=Yes
 |isbn=978-1842704684
 |pages=32
 |publisher=Andersen
@@ Line 37: / Line 33: @@
 For another picture book about the horrors of war, check out [[A Child's Garden: A Story Of Hope by Michael Foreman]]. You can also take a look at our [[Top Ten Children's Books About Weighty Subjects]].
-{{amazontext|amazon=1842704680}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=5354926}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=1842704680}}
 {{commenthead}}