The Crown Snatchers facts for kids
Cover of first edition (softcover)
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| Author | F. K. Waechter and Bernd Eilert |
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| Original title | Die Kronenklauer |
| Translator | Edite Kroll |
| Illustrator | F. K. Waechter |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Pantheon Books |
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Publication date
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1972 |
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Published in English
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1974 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 162 |
| OCLC | 1053983 |
| LC Class | PZ8.W133 Cr3 |
The Crown Snatchers is an exciting "superstorybook" written by German authors F. K. Waechter and Bernd Eilert. It was first published in Germany in 1972 under the name Die Kronenklauer. Two years later, in 1974, it was translated into English and released in the United States and Canada.
This book tells the story of three young children named Robert, Joanna, and Moritz. They get into trouble with the mean ruler of their land, King Fatback. The King throws them in jail and tries to make them think like him. But the children soon realize that things in the castle are not what they seem. With a new friend, they come up with a clever plan to bring fairness back to their kingdom.
Contents
The Story of The Crown Snatchers
The book starts by telling you it's a made-up story. It introduces Robert, Joanna, and Moritz as the main characters. The story takes place in a small kingdom filled with talking animals. We first meet the children trying to pick hazelnuts from tall trees. They meet a wise owl named Dr. Loy. Suddenly, a loud motor scares Dr. Loy away.
Meeting King Fatback
The children watch as King Fatback's royal car drives up. The King, who is a pig, accuses them of stealing his nuts. He has them taken to his castle. There, they meet Miss Bellmouse, a kind cat who is the caretaker. She puts them in separate rooms. Life at the castle is very strict. Bells and buzzers tell them when to sleep, when to have lessons with the grumpy teacher-dog, Mr. Prouch, and when to listen to boring talks from the King's cousin, Clemens. Even meals are dull and tasteless.
Rebellion and Escape Attempts
The children don't like being held against their will. They talk back to Mr. Prouch. One time, when he gets angry and loses his glasses, they try to escape. They try to climb over the castle wall but get caught. Another time, they start a big food fight at dinner!
Meeting Holger the Elephant
One day, Robert finds a hole in the wall of the playroom. It leads to a dusty storage room. There, they discover what looks like a gray hose. It turns out to be the trunk of Holger, a friendly elephant! Holger is locked in the next room and is sticking his trunk through a hole.
Holger tells the children about Crown Day. This is a special holiday where he has to carry the King around in a fancy seat called the Royal Litter. This way, all the animals can see and honor the King. The children get the idea to steal the King's crown, but they don't have a plan yet.
The Daring Plan
The next week, the children meet Holger again. They share funny dreams they've had. Holger then shares a very brave plan, and the children agree to it. They pretend to escape from the playroom window. But really, they sneak back to the storeroom and hide inside the Royal Litter. The castle is in a panic, searching for them. The children pass the time by telling stories with Holger and eventually fall asleep.
Crown Day and the Great Escape
The next day is August 21, Crown Day. The children wake up inside the litter as it's being strapped to Holger's back. They are not found, and the parade begins. When they reach a bridge, their plan starts! Holger uses his trunk to create a smoke screen. He quickly grabs the crown and passes it to the hidden children. He then pretends the crown fell into the water. The King's group frantically searches the water. This gives the children time to escape with the crown! King Fatback and Clemens are so ashamed that they leave town that night.
A New King and New Rules
The children take the crown to Dr. Loy, the wise owl. They ask him to be the new king, and he agrees. The next day, King Loy holds a meeting with everyone in the town. He changes the kingdom's saying from Let the People Serve the King to Let the King Serve the People. He also announces that everyone can choose their own job. This means the kingdom changes from a place where one person has all the power to a constitutional monarchy, where the ruler has limits and people have more say.
The Bakery Job and a Missing Crown
Later, the three children are back in the meadow. They visit their friends, who are all busy with their new jobs. At first, the children beg for food. But they soon realize they need jobs to survive. They get a job at the bakery, working for Hubert Knapsack, a lion. He asks them to bake a special cake for one of King Loy's events. They bake a cake shaped like King Loy himself! But the King says the cake is not right for the occasion and doesn't fit his royal status. When Hubert finds out, he is furious and takes them to court. The children are found guilty and lose their jobs. When they ask how they will eat, the king says, "Deciding that is not the job of a court."
Soon after, King Loy wakes up to find the crown missing again. He calls a meeting, thinking the thief won't show up. And sure enough, the children are not there. After much talk, the children appear with Holger and their friends. They carry a bag that makes clinking sounds. They have changed the kingdom into a democracy! They melted the crown down into many small crowns, one for each person. This means everyone now has a say in how the kingdom is run.
The book ends just like it began, reminding you that it was all a made-up story.
Illustrations
The Crown Snatchers is full of amazing pictures by F. K. Waechter. They are all different, from quick cartoons to comic strips and detailed pen and ink drawings. There are even paintings, though they are printed in black and white. Almost every page in the book has an illustration!
Activities and Puzzles
The story often pauses for the characters to do fun things. They discuss puzzles, tell dreams, or share other stories that sometimes don't have an ending. The book asks the reader to think of an ending!
Types of Activities
The puzzles include simple fill-in-the-blanks and connect-the-dots games. There are also visual puns (jokes using words that sound alike), a Caesar cipher (a secret code), a folding puzzle, and a tessellation (a pattern of shapes that fit together without gaps). You'll also find drawings you need to finish. The book has silly poems, pictures from the characters' imaginations, and several maps. There's even a cut-out model of King Fatback! Many of the jokes and puzzles use wordplay, which means the book was carefully rewritten when it was translated into English.
Cast of Characters
Except for the three children, all the characters in the main story are talking animals.
- Robert, Joanna, and Moritz: The main child characters
- Dr. Johannes Loy: The owl doctor
- King Fatback: The pig king
- The King's guards: Various dogs
- Miss Bellmouse: The king's cat caretaker
- Mr. Prouch: The dog teacher
- Charley Coffer: The badger poet
- Littleboom: The rooster doctor
- Clemens: The king's cousin, also a pig
- Holger: The elephant gardener
- Helmut Helmutson: The fox farmer
- Bostock: The seal innkeeper
- Captain Hubble: The crocodile swimming pool manager
- Hubert Knapsack: The lion baker
- Eberhard Luck: The bear forester
- Rushbank: The beaver fix-it man
- Phineas: The fish storekeeper
- Carlo Spannagel: The donkey carpenter
