{"product_id":"9780553523225","title":"The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003eBestseller!\u003cbr\u003eA \u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e Best Book of 2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA never-before-published, previously unfinished Mark Twain children’s story is brought to life by \u003cb\u003ePhilip and Erin Stead, creators of\u003c\/b\u003e the Caldecott Medal-winning \u003ci\u003eA Sick Day for Amos McGee\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e In a hotel in Paris one evening in 1879, Mark Twain sat with his young daughters, who begged their father for a story. Twain began telling them the tale of Johnny, a poor boy in possession of some magical seeds. Later, Twain would jot down some rough notes about the story, but the tale was left unfinished . . . until now.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Plucked from the Mark Twain archive at the University of California at Berkeley, Twain’s notes now form the foundation of a fairy tale picked up over a century later. With only Twain’s fragmentary script and a story that stops partway as his guide, author Philip Stead has written a tale that imagines what might have been if Twain had fully realized this work.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Johnny, forlorn and alone except for his pet chicken, meets a kind woman who gives him seeds that change his fortune, allowing him to speak with animals and sending him on a quest to rescue a stolen prince. In the face of a bullying tyrant king, Johnny and his animal friends come to understand that generosity, empathy, and quiet courage are gifts more precious in this world than power and gold.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e Illuminated by Erin Stead’s graceful, humorous, and achingly poignant artwork, this is a story that reaches through time and brings us a new book from America’s most legendary writer, envisioned by two of today’s most important names in children’s literature.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA Bank Street College of Education 2018 Best Children's Book of the Year\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"will capture the imaginations of readers of all ages\"—\u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e, ★ ★ ★ ★ (out of four stars) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e★ \u003c\/b\u003e\"Samuel Langhorne Clemens himself would be proud.\"—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003cb\u003e \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ \"a cast of eccentric characters, celestially fine writing, and a crusade against pomp that doesn't sacrifice humor.\"—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ \"Completing a story penned by arguably America's greatest author is no easy feat, but the Caldecott-winning author-illustrator (and husband-wife) team proves more than equal to the task. . . . A pensive and whimsical work that Twain would applaud.\"—\u003ci\u003eKirkus\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e★ \u003c\/b\u003e\"The combination of Twain’s (often sarcastic) humor and “lessons of life,” a touch of allegory, and Stead’s own storytelling skills result in an awesome piece of fantasy.\"—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003cb\u003e \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e★ \u003c\/b\u003e\"Beautifully understated and nuanced illustrations by Erin Stead add the finishing flourishes to this remarkable work.\"—Shelf Awareness, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“drawn with a graceful crosshatched intelligence that seems close to the best of Wyeth.”—Adam Gopnik, \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"Twain and the two Steads have created what could become a read-aloud classic, perfect for families to enjoy together.\"—\u003ci\u003eThe Horn Book\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"artful and meta and elegant”—\u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"should inspire readers young and old to seek further adventures with Twain.\"\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003e—\u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e","brand":"Random House Children's Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47015273496816,"sku":"9780553523225","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780553523225_p0.jpg?v=1763780925","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780553523225","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}