The Kingdom Revealed

Second in a trilogy, paper-cut artist Ryan’s follow-up to The Invisible Kingdom finds the young king from the previous book exploring the outside world he barely knows. Living on the streets, he befriends another homeless man, a woman who runs a mobile soup kitchen, and a restaurant owner, slowly building a new life for himself, even as palace officials work to hide/explain his absence. Ryan’s crisp silhouettes and thoughtful storytelling adeptly capture the story’s emotional highs and lows as the king, having taken the name John, discovers the rewards of a self-determined life and embarks on a nascent romance. A dramatic cliffhanger ending, however, leaves his future very much in question. Ages 8–up. (Aug.)