Naomi Kojima

Andre's cooking is so good that the Emperor rewards him with the tallest chef's hat in the country. Andre is so honored that he promises to never take it off. Alas, this causes great problems; but Andre is a man of his word.

SPOILER: Andre is also, finally, a man of sense. He explains how awful his life has become since his promise, and the Emperor, also a man of sense, agrees to take back the chef's hat.

I am reminded of Jephthah and his rash promise in the Bible. And The Wisdom Bird, in which Solomon's eagerness to do what the Queen of Sheba asked of him nearly leads to catastrophe, but doesn't. Or the king in the book of Esther who is not allowed to rescind his own laws.

I am also reminded of the importance of honor in Japanese culture. And of keeping one's word and never telling a lie no matter the consequences in our American culture: the legend of George Washington and the cherry tree and the story I heard about the Harvard student who came forward after the college library burned down with a book that he had borrowed without permission---the only surviving book of the library---and who was, of course, expelled from the school because he had broken the rules. This book provokes, at least to me, a discussion about conflicting ideals. Since this is a children's book, everything ends well; but what happens if the Emperor does not absolve Andre of his promise or if the Emperor dies or is not available.… (més)