The Storyteller Speaks

The tone of The King's Stilts might throw you just a bit off kilter at first. Those expecting the silly absurdity and lighthearted fun typical of Seuss… okay, those things are totally here, too. But there's also some straight-up storytelling going on. And for a Seuss book, The King's Stilts keeps the mischief to a minimum.

For example, when describing the king's work each day, the narrator does just that—describes:

This was the work of caring for the mighty Dike Trees that protected the people of Binn from the sea. The sea pushed against the kingdom on three sides. (7) 

No fluff, no muss, no fuss. These lines almost feel like they could be straight from a fairytale or standard folklore, and not from a kooky Seussian world at all.