“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke

The land of Cornucopia was a happy and prosperous place, led by the well-meaning, but largely ineffectual King Fred the Fearless.

And then the royal seamstress dies.

This sets off a domino effect of tragedy in the kingdom that leads Fred to a frightening encounter with the legendary Ickabog, and the gradual domination of the kingdom by corrupt Lords Spittleworth and Flapoon. Though many see the lords for who they are, the adults of Cornucopia hesitate to say or do anything for fear of angering the blissfully ignorant king until it is far too late.

Hope does comes, however, in the form of four children and an unusual ally.

Hopefully, this summary doesn’t spoil anything for those who might be interested in picking up this newest work from J.K. Rowling! It is a great one-off fairy tale/fantasy that I think Harry Potter fans would enjoy, despite the lack of witches, wizards, and magic. And it’s no fluff piece by any means. It is a cautionary tale laced with deep themes that resonate with both kids and adults. In addition, the book includes full-color illustrations created by various children in response to an online competition.

I definitely recommend giving this book a read!