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Rulers of the Playground
A funny, relatable story about how becoming "rulers" of the playground in the end is less fun than playing together and sharing. "A great choice for the beginning of the school year."* This picture book about sharing, friendship, and kindness in a playground setting will remind you of favorites such as This Is Not My Hat from Jon Klassen and The Day the Crayons Quit from Drew Daywalt. One morning, Jonah decided to become ruler of the playground. Everyone agreed to obey his rules to play in King Jonah’s kingdom. Everyone except for Lennox . . . because she wanted to rule the playground, too. A gloriously rendered, hilariously deadpan tale of playground politics. Will hold the attention of preschool through second grade kids—whether they're leaders or followers, all kids navigate the world of the playground and will relate to the dynamics at play in Rulers of the Playground . *School Library Journal
40 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2017
About the author
Joseph Kuefler
12 books41 followersJoseph Kuefler is the author-illustrator of The Digger and the Flower, Beyond the Pond, Rulers of the Playground, and Pillow Places as well as the illustrator of The night Is for Darkness by Jonathan Stutzman. He lives in Minnesota with his wife and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
September 29, 2017
Cute, the illustrations are great, but I was slightly disappointed that the kids didn't revolt against the rulers of the playground and create their own democracy, free from tyranny. But that might just be me.
December 21, 2018
Cute story about the trials and tribulations of the school playground. Who will be the ruler of the playground, Jonah or Lennox? Being ruler of the playground might not be everything it's cracked up to be.
November 26, 2019
When Jonah lays claim to the local playground, declaring himself king, the other children all swear loyalty to him. All, that is, save Lennox, who declares herself queen. So begins a royal war, as the two children each strive for dominance over the playground, and all their peers. Eventually they are left to their own devices, as their "subjects" desert them in favor of more amusing play. Then Jonah and Lennox make peace, and all is happy again. Until Augustine decides she must be queen...
An amusing picture-book examination of playground politics amongst young children, Rulers of the Playground is the second children's book from author/artist Joseph Kuefler, who made his debut with Beyond the Pond . All in all, I found the story here amusing, and suspect that young children, who are no doubt quite familiar with "king of the hill" type games, will as well. I also enjoyed the illustrations, which capture the humor of the story quite well, especially in the depiction of the growing discontent of the other children. I don't know that I loved this quite as much as Keufler's debut, which was really quite magical, but it is nevertheless an engaging tale. Recommended to anyone looking for entertaining playground stories that explore the social dynamics of the kindergarten and primary school set.
An amusing picture-book examination of playground politics amongst young children, Rulers of the Playground is the second children's book from author/artist Joseph Kuefler, who made his debut with Beyond the Pond . All in all, I found the story here amusing, and suspect that young children, who are no doubt quite familiar with "king of the hill" type games, will as well. I also enjoyed the illustrations, which capture the humor of the story quite well, especially in the depiction of the growing discontent of the other children. I don't know that I loved this quite as much as Keufler's debut, which was really quite magical, but it is nevertheless an engaging tale. Recommended to anyone looking for entertaining playground stories that explore the social dynamics of the kindergarten and primary school set.
August 19, 2024
And just like that... I heard Carrie Bradshaw's voice reading this.
April 19, 2017
Two playground tyrants discover sharing is better. Good, droll fun.
May 3, 2017
I enjoy Joseph Kuefler's illustrations, and enjoyed reading this book. Interesting details to discover in the layouts, and a message about playground dynamics that kids will find fun and relatable, make this a good read aloud for the classroom. Though I'd want to talk about the ending with kids.
May 20, 2017
Cute story, but slightly on the shallow side, plot-wise. The illustrations were great, though - I loved how all the kids were just progressively more fed up with Jonah and Lennox as things went on, which turned out to be excellent foreshadowing.
May 24, 2022
Cute!!
May 30, 2017
This is a great story for little ones to learn about the difference between being a dictator and being a leader. Funny story! Joseph Kuefler has hit another home run.
June 3, 2017
The illustrations were engaging and the book was fun, but the characters didn't really capture my heart.
February 25, 2018
Playground politics get real as two would-be rulers duke it out, divvying up the terrain and alienating playmates in the process. A sardonic, cautionary tale with a diverse cast of characters.
November 12, 2017
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello, friends! We’ve finally had a chance to visit our new library and check out some books! The one we’ll be reviewing today is Rulers Of The Playground by Joseph Kuefler, the tale of two would-be conquerors fighting over some hotly-contested grounds.
At the playground one day, Jonah decides to declare himself ruler. He asks for the fealty of his fellow kids, and they all agree, not wanting to miss out on their favorite playground activities. Jonah is mostly a fair ruler, but sometimes not. Lennox doesn’t like this much, so she annexes half of the playground and declares herself ruler. Once again, the other children take an oath of loyalty so they can continue using the swings. And Lennox is a fair ruler… until she’s not. Jonah and Lennox don’t like having to share the playground with the other, so they begin laying claim to previously neutral ground, ultimately alienating all their playmates with their shenanigans. Can Jonah and Lennox make things right and earn their friends back?
This was an interesting book, and worked on a lot of levels. On the surface, it’s a story about learning to share and to treat others and your common spaces with respect. However, there are also some more subtle and more advanced themes at play here as well: what it means to be a good leader, how those in charge can often forget that their responsibility is to those who serve them, and the necessity of sitting down to compromise instead of fighting. The illustrations are clever, featuring expressive characters against minimal backgrounds to highlight the importance of the people instead of the playground they’re fighting over. The length is good, and JJ enjoyed it. A multi-layered read with some great lessons to glean, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!
Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
May 11, 2017
Not my style. I thought the theme about sharing was preachy and obvious, but the book is handled with a unique fantasy point-of-view which may appeal to kids. The illustrations were interesting with lots to examine closely on each page. Useful for teaching getting along with others.
April 19, 2020
Title/Author: Rulers of the Playground by Joseph Kuefler
How would you describe the plot?
Jonah decides to become king of the playground and had rules which all the other children obeyed, except for Lennox. She wanted to rule the playground too. Each ruled a side of the playground until they began to argue over all of it. They made plans and tried to conquer the whole playground. They became tired and decided to share the kingdom and rule together.
How would you describe the characters?
Jonah and Lennox are greedy and selfish in the beginning, but towards the end they are nicer. That’s what we call character development.
What is the main conflict?
Both kids want to rule the playground but do not want to share it.
What is the main theme?
Be kind and share
How would you describe the author’s style?
Kuefler makes the book easy to follow along with a few big words thrown in.
What point of view does the author use?
The book is in 3rd person with a handful of dialog from the characters.
Share your thoughts on the design and layout of the book.
The book focuses all the color into the characters and keeps the background white.
What lessons could you teach with this text? Please provide at least two of the AR State Standards you would use in a lesson.
RL.2.7 Use information gained from the illustrations and words in print to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot. The students can use the book to describe the characteristics of each character. After this, the students could write 5 sentences describing themselves.
SL.2.6 Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. The students could present to the class the sentences they used to describe themselves.
What is your overall assessment?
I think this book could be used in many ways to teach different things. One thing I would use this book for is to teach my students about kindness and sharing.
How would you describe the plot?
Jonah decides to become king of the playground and had rules which all the other children obeyed, except for Lennox. She wanted to rule the playground too. Each ruled a side of the playground until they began to argue over all of it. They made plans and tried to conquer the whole playground. They became tired and decided to share the kingdom and rule together.
How would you describe the characters?
Jonah and Lennox are greedy and selfish in the beginning, but towards the end they are nicer. That’s what we call character development.
What is the main conflict?
Both kids want to rule the playground but do not want to share it.
What is the main theme?
Be kind and share
How would you describe the author’s style?
Kuefler makes the book easy to follow along with a few big words thrown in.
What point of view does the author use?
The book is in 3rd person with a handful of dialog from the characters.
Share your thoughts on the design and layout of the book.
The book focuses all the color into the characters and keeps the background white.
What lessons could you teach with this text? Please provide at least two of the AR State Standards you would use in a lesson.
RL.2.7 Use information gained from the illustrations and words in print to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot. The students can use the book to describe the characteristics of each character. After this, the students could write 5 sentences describing themselves.
SL.2.6 Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification. The students could present to the class the sentences they used to describe themselves.
What is your overall assessment?
I think this book could be used in many ways to teach different things. One thing I would use this book for is to teach my students about kindness and sharing.
November 29, 2018
Rulers of the Playground is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Joseph Kuefler. It is a story about sharing, friendship, kindness, an amusing look at playground politics.
The text is simplistic and straightforward. It is a story about two warring kingdoms that split the playground in half and having the rest of the children obeying their rules. In the end, the two rulers decided to give up their kingdoms and give the playground back to their friends. The illustrations are wonderfully depicted and exemplifies and apropos to the text rather well.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. One day, a boy named Jonah decided to become ruler of the playground and everyone agreed to play by his rules all except Lennox who claimed the other half of the playground, because she wants to be ruler also. Their rule was benevolent most of the time, but it eventually drove their friends away. In the end, they decided to give up their kingdoms and give the playground back to their friends.
All in all, Rulers of the Playground is a wonderfully written children's book that through playground politics shows the power of sharing, friendship, and kindness.
The text is simplistic and straightforward. It is a story about two warring kingdoms that split the playground in half and having the rest of the children obeying their rules. In the end, the two rulers decided to give up their kingdoms and give the playground back to their friends. The illustrations are wonderfully depicted and exemplifies and apropos to the text rather well.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. One day, a boy named Jonah decided to become ruler of the playground and everyone agreed to play by his rules all except Lennox who claimed the other half of the playground, because she wants to be ruler also. Their rule was benevolent most of the time, but it eventually drove their friends away. In the end, they decided to give up their kingdoms and give the playground back to their friends.
All in all, Rulers of the Playground is a wonderfully written children's book that through playground politics shows the power of sharing, friendship, and kindness.
October 13, 2017
1. Jonah declared himself the King of the playground. But, his followers (friends) had to make a pinky promise first. There was a big issue, Lennox wanted to be the ruler of the playground too. She took over half of the playground! Kids crossed their hearts and promise to obey her rules. After much fighting, Jonah and Lennox kept the playground in two and began developing plans. They became very demanding and slowing their followers left until there was nothing to conquer. They decided to settle their differences and create a new plan. Will this new plan bring back their followers (friends)?
2. Being a team player
-Students will work together in groups to learn the importance of teamwork.
-Students will be presented with a difficult situation and work together to solve the problem.
3. Kuefler, J. (2017). Rulers of the playground. New York, NY: Balzer Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins.
2. Being a team player
-Students will work together in groups to learn the importance of teamwork.
-Students will be presented with a difficult situation and work together to solve the problem.
3. Kuefler, J. (2017). Rulers of the playground. New York, NY: Balzer Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins.
January 22, 2020
This book help make connections to playground/recess etiquette. Jonah decided to be the ruler of the playground and then Lennox decided she wanted to be ruler. Each child developed their own set of rules and regulations. However, both became unhappy when everyone decided not to follow their rule. Both Jonah and Lennox became unhappy and made the decision that no one would "own" the playground. Until... someone else wanted to rule the playground. This book is helpful teaching children the importance in sharing the playground and playing together is more fun. Can be used as introduction to rules to follow on the playground.
September 29, 2017
Book Ratings for People Too Busy to Read Someone’s Opinion of a Book That They’re Sure to Disagree With Anyway. (Yes, this title is long but the rating is not.)
Initial Impression: Democracy is so much easier on kids than a monarchy.
Pictures: Simple, elegant.
Characters: Completely unlikable. But funny.
Plot: Two kids turn themselves into royalty and find themselves fighting for the same turf.
One Line Summary: Everyone wants to be rich and powerful, but those things always come with a price.
Initial Impression: Democracy is so much easier on kids than a monarchy.
Pictures: Simple, elegant.
Characters: Completely unlikable. But funny.
Plot: Two kids turn themselves into royalty and find themselves fighting for the same turf.
One Line Summary: Everyone wants to be rich and powerful, but those things always come with a price.
October 24, 2020
This humorous book teaches readers about sharing, friendship, and kindness during recess time with peers. The illustrations correspond to the text and are interesting for children to look at. Readers are exposed to multiple perspectives and values through the book and the book includes a rich and diverse group of children. The book is also set in a place where children often spend time, so it is easier for the children to digest. This story fits perfectly into my social-emotional learning text set to help students understand friendship and sharing.
May 22, 2017
Age: 3+
I think this is a book most kids on the playgrounds can relate to. The rulers of the playground call all the shots and are viewed as benevolent kings and queens amongst their peers. The writing and illustrations are well-matched and the text is funny for adults and kids. The moral of the story is a bit trite. If you're a bully no one will play with you. But its a message that's always good for young children to hear, no matter what their age.
I think this is a book most kids on the playgrounds can relate to. The rulers of the playground call all the shots and are viewed as benevolent kings and queens amongst their peers. The writing and illustrations are well-matched and the text is funny for adults and kids. The moral of the story is a bit trite. If you're a bully no one will play with you. But its a message that's always good for young children to hear, no matter what their age.
June 5, 2017
Rivalry develops as Jonah and Lennox battle it out to be king or queen of the playground.
Joseph Kuefler has executed a timely book on the topic of bullying. The story involves two characters who are realistically portrayed. The children respond to the manipulation in a predictable manner. The struggle between Jonah and Lennox to rule the playground leads to frustration of the other children. The illustrations are full of innuendos that children will enjoy poring over again and again.
Joseph Kuefler has executed a timely book on the topic of bullying. The story involves two characters who are realistically portrayed. The children respond to the manipulation in a predictable manner. The struggle between Jonah and Lennox to rule the playground leads to frustration of the other children. The illustrations are full of innuendos that children will enjoy poring over again and again.
July 31, 2017
Spoiler alert: nobody wants to play with you if you're just going to fight and tell them what to do! This was a good, albeit predictable, little story about two kids who decide they want to rule the playground. At first, everyone treats it like a game and goes along with it, but soon the kids grow tired of the battle plans and fighting over play equipment and stop playing with the two rulers, who then make amends.
August 5, 2017
Joseph Kuefler does a terrific job of imparting the lesson that power grabs aren't great for community building. In his book, The Rulers of the Playground Jonah and Lennox attempt to rule separate areas of the playground, and demand loyalty from the other kids should they prefer the swings located in one ruler's kingdom or the monkey bars in the other's. Not surprisingly, the fun of a playground is quickly depleted under such domination. Good story and fun illustrations.
March 26, 2018
I liked the variety of scenes illustrated and the various ways that the power was shown. Wasn’t a fan of the last page, though the resolution of the “rulers” initially was satisfactory. It makes me think that bullying doesn’t really end—it just changes faces. Doesn’t completely ring true also how the “subjects” went off and did their own thing without a few wannabes hanging on the fringe of their “success.”
May 9, 2017
Sometimes, kids just want to be in charge. Lennox and Jonah struggle over the ruling of the playground until all of their friends have found somewhere else to play. When they decide to set aside their differences, though, another head honcho moves in. The illustrations and text are pleasing and funny, but the storyline itself left me wanting a little more depth.
May 18, 2017
King Jonah and Queen Lennox ruled the playground so closely that no one had any fun. The rest of the kids refused to play there. The king and queen soon grew bored and lonely. They agreed to give up the kingdom in exchange for friends. All the kids were happy and everyone returned to the playground, except...
June 9, 2017
It's not bad, but it isn't a title I "just have to share" with kids. The illustrations make the storyline a lot more palatable. Playground politics ( Jonah designates himself ruler of the playground and everyone agrees except Lennox because she wants to be queen of the playground) told in a shallow plot. Mean Jean the Recess Queen and Yertle the Turtle are better books to teach this lesson.
September 16, 2017
Joseph Kuefler mines the wealth of material that are playground dynamics. Lots to discuss here, which makes this a great classroom read aloud.
Beyond the illustrations themselves, the overall concept, layout, and design of this book is top notch. It sort of put me in mind of something you might see in a music video.
Beyond the illustrations themselves, the overall concept, layout, and design of this book is top notch. It sort of put me in mind of something you might see in a music video.
March 25, 2018
Two kids battle over playground territory. Nothing especially original here except the subtle humor in the details of the illustrations. There are three little birds who observe the goings-on, and their reactions are fun to find. Best of all are the maps the feuding "king" and "queen" create to first stake and then to combine their realms.
January 17, 2019
Jonah makes himself king of the playground and the Lennox makes herself queen. They divide the playground and eventually no kids play with either of them. They finally come together and learn their lesson. The real goodness of this book are its illustrations which are simple with nice depth. This will be a good book to use for our SEL classes/groups.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews