The Queen’s Shadow

 The Queen’s Shadow is a picture book created for children between the ages of 7 and 11. The book is a mystery laced with educational value. The story begins when the Queen hosts a ball with various animals in attendance. During the ball she loses her shadow. Coming to her aid, the Mantis Shrimp plays detective, interrogating the other animals in attendance to determine who may have stolen the Queen’s shadow. Each animal uses their sight as as a defense to prove themselves innocent. This allows readers to discover facts about how each animal sees. After the resolution the author and illustrator, Cybèle Young, provides more educational value on how each animal’s eyes work and how the human eye works.

​First, I think it’s a great concept to use story and weave in educational facts around it. When learning can be achieved in a painless way, it’s a happy day for everyone. I enjoyed the balance of grey and black as well as the use of color in the illustrations. I found the visually interesting.

However, I have a few observations that I think worked against the author’s goal to educate.

1. A shadow cannot be “lost” so it’s automatically losing authority educationally with kids 6 and up who understand this reality.
2. The animals in attendance were too varied. Many of the animals represented live underwater which made no sense as to how they would be with the Queen in a castle that is not under water. This caused confusion with my children who asked how they could possibly all be in attendance.
3. The author made some interesting choices. Fantasy calls for imagination while facts call for reason. Children have trouble switching back and forth between the two.
4. In describing the shark’s eyesight the author describes the shark as being 400 million years old. This does not agree with a young earth philosophy.
5. The Queen’s Shadow is too complex for a 7 year old to read in one sitting. Their attention spands will not hold up to so much information and story. If you purchase this book I recommend reading each animal’s defense and then flipping to the back to learn more about the animal. Perhaps, study the animal more in depth. Do this for each animal, using the book as the base of a unit study on eye sight and extending it with additional independent research. Also note the glossary at the very back. As you read, call on the child to list elements that don’t make sense within the story (as discussed above). Maybe chart facts versus fantasy.

Here is the book trailer:

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I agree with the narrator that the book is sophisticated. I just wonder if it is too sophisticated for its audience.

There are absolutely ways to use this book educationally, but it will take a little effort on your part to put the elements and ideas together to truly get the most out of it. I believe that, as a stand alone book to be used as a quick or casual read, this book is just too heavy and asks too much of young readers. I’m really torn on how to rate it because I see potential, however, I don’t feel the author gave us her best or knew her audience as well as she could have. If I have to work to make a book usable, I’m going to give a lower rating.

​Disclosure: I received a free copy of The Queen’s Shadow: A Story About How Animals See from Kids Can Press via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I give this book three stars