The Emperor of Absurdia
By Chris Riddell
The Story
A small boy tumbles out of bed into Absurdia, a topsy-turvy dreamland of umbrella trees, pillow hills, and wardrobe monsters, journeying onward in search of a dragon.
Why It's Special
For the kid whose bedtime detours through an entire imaginary kingdom before their eyes finally close, this one turns that nightly wandering into a landscape worth exploring.
- Big idea: Imagination can turn a bedroom into a kingdom, and the ordinary world is only ever one tumble away from the extraordinary.
- Vibes: dreamy, strange, lushly illustrated, quietly adventurous
Perfect For Kids Who
- love dreamlike, topsy-turvy worlds
- like to pore over richly detailed illustrations
- enjoy gentle adventure stories at bedtime
- are drawn to imaginative journeys into the unknown
Ask Your Little Reader
- Imagination: If you tumbled into Absurdia, what strange thing would you want to see first — an umbrella tree or a wardrobe monster?
- Story & problem-solving: Why do you think the boy keeps going even though Absurdia is so strange?
- Real-life connection: Have you ever had a dream that felt like its own whole world?
- Imagination: What do you think the dragon he's searching for might look like?
- Feelings & empathy: How do you think the boy feels wandering through such an unfamiliar place?
