Treacherous palace
When I was a little girl, listening to fairy tale dramatizations on vinyl records was one of my favourite things in the world. Unlike current radio dramatizations like The Archers, where there is music only at the beginning and end of a segment, in the dramatizations from my childhood, music played a leading role. It gave warnings, expressed elegance, prepared us for a quarrel that was to come. Just like an actor, it communicated.
Magic Kitten Circus Wish is a children’s book by Sue Bentley which took me back to my childhood days of listening to dramatizations on vinyl records. As I was reading the story about the young lion, Prince Flame, I could hear music. The magic kingdom where Prince Flame was to inherit the throne and the intrigues of the palace were only briefly mentioned at the beginning of the book, but that was enough to inspire my imagination.
‘Treacherous palace’ is dramatic and beautifully intense. Through the music, you will hear the frustration of the young lion prince, too weak to stand up to his sly uncle, a contender for the throne. As you listen to the musical contrasts and textures created by the different instruments, you will understand what a dangerous place the Palace is for the young prince. The music also shows his despair and sadness that he must leave his magic kingdom and hide in our world disguised as a black kitten.
Magic Kitten Circus Wish is part of the hugely popular series of books by Northamptonshire bestselling author Sue Bentley. I’ve met teenagers who have kept and still cherish all their books by Sue Bentley to this day. It is my hope that ‘Treacherous Palace’ will be loved just as much.