With a foul temper and poor judgment, a South American king manages to make a complete hash of his rule in this folktale from Argentina. Ignorant of life outside his castle, he delivers a series of decisions that lead to further injustice in a variety of disputes. His only wise move was to hire sharp-witted Florinda as his cook, after firing her predecessor, and that lady uses her food to show the king the error of his ways. Of course, he isn't a willing student, and almost burns her at the stake, but fortunately she has a sprig of basil to remind him of better times...

Published in 1993, The Cook and the King is the second picture book retelling of a South American folktale that I have read from María Cristina Brusca (who also contributed the artwork) and Tona Wilson, following upon their 1992 The Blacksmith and the Devils. It pairs an engaging story, one in which a clever servant must correct her unwise master, with appealing illustrations that capture the humor of the tale. I enjoyed many of the little cultural details here—the indigenous Andean celebration of Pachamama, the northwestern Argentine custom of picking basil to dance with—which are present in both the story and in the brief afterword. Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts, and to anyone looking for children's stories with a South American and/or Argentine cultural background. ( )