The Fate of Fausto

Bullying and unpleasant, Fausto is a tyrant who demands everything. One by one, a flower, a sheep, a tree, a field, a forest and a lake bow to his demands and agree to his ownership. A mountain offers some resistance, but when Fausto 'put up such a fight you would not believe and showed the mountain who was boss', even it concedes. Only the sea stands against him and uses his vanity and acts of petulance to defeat him. The Fate of Fausto is a wise and timely tale about the power of calm resistance to the demands of the selfish and the bullying. Food for thought indeed! Sadly, those who shout the loudest often get the most yet whilst they might offer temporary, often superficial rewards, the things in life truly worth having often pass these people by. The story would make an excellent starting point for discussion and could be used with children of different ages in a variety of ways. With younger children, the focus might be on relationships and how we should treat one another; political ideas might feature more with older ones. Both the illustrations and text are minimal, allowing each reader to glean their own version of the story. The squiggles about Fausto's head, which indicate his great fury, emphasise how petty and small-minded his ideas are. Colour and space have been cleverly used to encourage thought and discussion: the changing colours of Fausto's reflection on water, his change in colour from sepia to blue... Beautifully crafted, The Fate of Fausto is a story to return to time and time again. 96 pages / Ages 4+ / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Firstly, Oliver Jeffers has done a truly superb job in presenting this modern day fable in paint. The illustrations are in the typical Oliver Jeffers fashion but this is something that draws me in instantly as I feel part of the charm of his other work (Lost and Found, Incredible Book Eating Boy etc..) are the illustrations. Something just feels a little special about this book from the minute you pick it up. Fausto believes he owns everything so he decides to set off to prove this to be true. As Fausto begins his journey, the language itself draws you in and, despite being minimal, convinces you to agree with him. This is something shared by the objects he comes across (the flower, the sheep and the mountain) ...even when they reject him at first, he soon does enough to get his own way. With every turn of the book, you feel Fausto's greed grow until he is blinded by it. Oliver Jeffers has created tension by building this book up over many pages. Each double spread only has a handful of words but written in a way that you are hooked on the turn of every page. This is certainly a step away from the usual work of Oliver but is still a fantastic read. I would encourage the use of it in primary schools and across many age ranges. Even the older children in the school would contribute to interesting discussions regarding Fausto and his actions. 96 pages / Ages 6+ / Reviewed by Kyle Matravers, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 5+