"The King With Six Friends" by Jay Williams; illustrated by Imero Gobbato. Published by Parent's Magazine Press, New York, 1968. Text copyright 1968 by Jay Williams, 1968; illustrations copyright 1968 by Imero Gobbato. First Edition.

Original pictorial hard boards (very little wear & soiling), beige-orange colored endpaper ("Tammy Penley" written inside of front board); 41 pages on high quality paper; very good condition.

Imero Gobbato [1923-2010] was an imaginative, talented and prolific artist, Imero Gobbato created paintings, drawings, prints, carvings, models and music all his life. He is best known for his highly collected, light-filled paintings of the coastal seas. He was also a successful children's book illustrator as well as a naval architect. As a musician he played several instruments and composed music.

Imero Gobbato was born in Milano, Italy. At the age of 15, Imero began basic art training at the Liceo Artistico in Milan. After two years, he transferred his residence to the Istituto d'Arte in Venice to continue his advanced art training. It was a disciplined and rigorous curriculum. He also completed an extra-curricular course in theatrical set design and construction, planning and setting scenes at Venice's Teatro della Fenice, one of Italy's major opera theaters. He earned his Maestro d'Arte in 1942, which qualified him to teach art. For the next two years, despite the threats of war, he attended specialized painting classes in oil and fresco, and was schooled in traditional and late 19th century Neo-Impressionistic techniques.

In 1950, he moved to New York where he met his wife. They lived for many years in several states until they permanently settled 1964 in Camden. Imero established Two Harbors Studio and settled fully into making his art. His primary passion was painting, but his interests included printmaking, wood carving, model making, and playing and composing music.

"There are many nice things about being a king. But there is one very bad thing. It's hard to find a job if you're out of work. All that a king can do is rule, and if you have no kingdom then you are out of work. That's what happened to young King Zar. He was a good king, but young and without much experience. A bold, strong king with many soliders had attacked his kingdom. Young Zar found himself with no country, with no palace or house or hut. Zar had twelve gold pieces, a suit of clothes and a sword. So he set out to find work. The road was long and the world was wide. In Zar's search for a kingdom he met six unusual friends along the way. From the author of the Danny Dunn books, magically illustrated by Imero Gobbato" [private review]

"Funny story; my sister brings up this book we read as kids. It is about a king with red hair who meets people that change into different things. The people help the king fulfill his mission. This story is indeed about an overthrown king who wishes to wed a princess. In order to offer his hand, he must complete complicated tasks with the help of his talented friends. I like the story not only because it brings fond memories but also because it teaches teamwork and leadership. The illustrations are friendly as well. This is a good book for read-alouds, bedtime stories, or a good one to pick whilst library browsing!" [private review]

"This is an excellent book for both children and adults. I read this over and over to each of my four children and they loved it. As they grew older I explained the message of the book as I saw it and its application for adult life and supervision. It has an important message, particularly for new supervisors. The young king knows each of his companions has a unique gift even though they may be lacking in other areas. When they are given three seemingly impossible tasks the young king directs them to victory. Through the efforts of his companions the king is successful and wins the hand of the princess in marriage. What did the king do to win the princess? "He did what only a good king can do, he led us."" [private review]

US: Priority (c.2-4 days) ------------ $12.50
Canada: 1st Class (c.2-6 weeks) --- $27.50
World: 1st Class (c.2-8 weeks) ---- $35.50