conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Provide a description for a book titled The Undesirables about Granvilan, Kindergarten-Grade, Lock with the genre: Children's Books, Growing Up & Facts of Life.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Kindergarten-Grade 4A king and queen dream of creating the perfect kingdom. Their first order of business: "Lock up all the undesirables!" At first this seems a simple task, and their chosen hatchet man, the Granvilan, works his way through the alphabet, imprisoning the Archprickilys, the Babbilylips, and the Crumpitycrocs. After reaching the Zoozles, the dungeon is filled, and even the Granvilan finds himself on the undesirable list. Taking matters into his own hands, he digs a moat around the castle, isolating "the true undesirables." The intolerant monarchs are left to learn their lesson in a kingdom "as perfect as the desert." The author's intention with this fairy tale is evident from the dedication: "For Custer, Hitler, Pol Pot, Khomeini and Milosevic, and for the true undesirables of today in the hope that someday they may understand," and his point is clearly made. Young children will get the basic message, and older kids can discuss the political implications. The dark, mixed-media illustrations are intriguing and almost unsettling, which suits the story, and provide another layer of meaning that adults and older children will enjoy discussing. A thought-provoking selection for the right audience. Piper Nyman, Brookmeade Elementary School, Nashville, TN END