The Secret Room

"Why is your head grey, and your beard black?" The Secret Room was written by Uri Shulevitz, and published by Farrar Straus Girouy in New York in 1993. Uri's work is a fiction fable and tells the tale of a wise, old man, a wealthy king, and his counselor. Shulevitz was born, February 27, 1935 in Warsaw, Poland. He moved from Poland to Paris in 1947 and from Paris to Israel, where he joined the Israeli army, in 1949. After leaving the army, he settled in New York. Quickly, he received his first children's book recommendation. Considering the setting and mood of The Secret Room, it is abstract, bright, and light-hearted, but the book is poorly, predictably written, and bland.In the story, "The Secret Room," there are three characters that fluidly and efficiently carry the plot throughout the story. The first character is a wealthy king who treasures wisdom. Next, a humble, old man with grey hair and a black beard, who is the protagonist. Lastly, the antagonist, the Chief Counselor of the king, is prideful and jealous. Keeping their characteristics as the story progresses, the characters are static. The tale takes place in the dry and sandy desert, and also, inside the king's intricate and colorful palace. The king, who was vastly wealthy, was riding through the desert and found an old man with coarse, white hair and black beard. Curiously, the king questioned the man why his hair was grey and his beard was black. He replied that his hair was older than his beard. Feeling pleased with the answer, the king went on his way and told the man never to tell anyone that answer until he sees the kings face ninety-nine times. When the king returned to his palace, he asked his Chief Counselor about the man's hair and beard. After contemplating the question, the Chief Counselor pursued the old man in the desert. Once the Counselor located the man, he proceeded to ask him the same question the king asked. "Why is your hair grey, but your beard black?" The man quickly and wisely replied, "Give me ninety-nine coins and I shall tell you." The Counselor gave him the coins and he returned back to the palace with the answer. Upon returning to the palace, the counselor told the king the old man's clever reply as soon as he arrived. The king found out the old man's clever dealing and appointed him as treasurer of the palace. After much jealousy from the counselor, who hated the old man because of his high position, he accused the simple living old man of stealing gold from the treasury. When the king and his men searched the man's house they found nothing. Hurriedly, the Chief Counselor searched for anything and found a locked door. The old man willingly and non-hesitantly opened the door for them and when they peered in, they discovered nothing but an empty, open room, the old man called his "humble place." In conclusion, the Chief Counselor was fired and the old man took the counselor's job. The Secret Room is a dull, but unique book. The moral of the story, if it has one, is unclear, the climax was not thought provoking or exciting, and the characters were not developed well enough. Substantially, the cleverness and wittiness of the book was fantastic, but, it could have been more drawn out by more puzzling scenarios for the old man to contemplate and solve. Regarding the theme of the book, it should have been much more powerfully presented by connecting the reader to the characters, which would have made them more likeable. Besides the uninspiring writing, the artwork and creativity in the book was immensely and incredibly fascinating. The most intriguing part of the story was the dealing between the old man and the counselor, because of how the old man wisely followed the king's orders while giving information to the Chief Counselor. This dull, unique book had pro's and con's, but overall, the book had fantastic artwork, with a poorly written story.

Gray Hair and a Black Beard? Why is your head grey and your beard black? [1] The Secret Room, by Uri Shulevitz, was written and published in New York, in 1993. [4] Looking to read a fable, tale, or a good epic? [6] This may be the one! [1] American author, Uri Shulevitz, was born in Warsaw, Poland, on February 27, 1935. [3] Passionately, he entered the Israeli army and fought for several years before cleverly and happily becoming an illustrator. [5] As you read this book, you will find it very intriguing and it has an excellent moral to it. [7] Dazed by the colors and structures in Israel, Uri was able to transfer the sights of Israel onto paper. [1] His drawings are splendid, because they are colorful and play with your imagination. [2] On a scale of 1 to 5, this book gets a 2. [1] Are you curious as to what it is about? [T] Here is a taste for his book, The Secret Room.[2]Around the time of camels and gold coins, there lived and reigned a rich and important King, full of wisdom and love for his kingdom, living in a very colorful and fancy palace. [5]As he was he went traveling across an extremely lonely and sandy desert, he met a man; as if it was destiny. [6] Was this real? [3]Shockingly, this man had white hair and a black beard. [1] The man, baffled upon seeing anyone in the desert, invited them to sit with him and dine. [4]Lingering behind the King, his chief councilor, a prideful and jealous man, thought nothing of the old man or his tales and told the King to move on. [7]Undeterred, the King would not listen.[1] "Old man," confused and curious, the King questioned the man, "why is thy hair grey and thy beard, black?" [5] "Because, Thine head is older than thine beard!" replied the man.[6] "Don't tell anyone thy answer. [2] Until thou hast seen thine face ninety-nine times." warned the King. [4] Sighing, "Yes, thy Majesty," the man humbly replied. [3] Immediately upon returning back to the magnificently gorgeous palace, adorned with jewels and stones, the king asked and demanded the chief counselor how a man could have a black beard and grey hair. [1] The chief counselor, distracted while the conversation in the desert was going on, replied that he did not know the answer, although he was very curious to know. [7] Determined to find out the answer, however, he quickly and determinedly traveled back into the desert and asked the man why he had a black beard and grey hair. [1] The old man proceeded to tell him that he would answer this question for ninety-nine gold coins. [7] Satisfied when he heard the answer, the Chief Counselor returned to the King. [1] Once the Kind learned how wise the man had been in asking for ninety-nine gold coins, which had the face of the king on them, he appointed the old man as treasurer in the palace. [5] As one year went by, the Chief Counselor was becoming extremely and violently jealous of the man, appointed treasurer. [1] The King favored the man over the counselor, because the man was so wise, and the counselor was fed up with being thrown to the dogs all of the time. [7] Blinded by lust, the chief counselor came up with a plan of action. [1]One day, the chief counselor grabbed a handful of solid gold coins and went into the King's office.[4]Breathing heavily, as if he had been running, he yelled, "Sire, I found thine coins under thine treasurer's bed! [1] He hast been stealing from thou, have him removed at once!"[3] Sadly shocked, the King retorted, "How can this be? [2] Out of here at once! [1] We must go search his room right away!"[6] They searched the man's house. [1] Much to their surprise they found nothing, except for a single, locked room. "Open this at once!" demanded the King to the man.Once inside, there was absolutely nothing. No furniture, no gold, no bed, nothing! [7] Confused, the King asked a simple explanation from the man.[6] "Humility," he replied. "I come into thine room to remain humble, to remind myself that I am just a poor, lowly man, working for thy King." [7] Amazed, shocked and moved by the man's answer, the Kind immediately fired the Chief Counselor and promoted the man to his new position. [1] The man was so humbled and grateful to be the King's new Chief Counselor. Together the two of them accomplished many things over the following years, but they always remained humble. [5] As you can see, humility is a prominent and immense theme in this book; but would children reading this book have understood that theme? [1]That is, honestly, but sadly, why this book deserves a two out of five. [4] Reading this book is very easy for children of all ages. [5] With wonderfully bright and colorful pictures it definitely keeps children's minds entertained. [3] Sadly, because of the theme in this story, being a little over a child's head, this book is not child worthy. [6] They won't understand. [1] The riddle about the man's hair and beard are excellent for teens and adults, it goes along with humility, but children will not get it. [2] While Uri Shulevitz captured and painted colorful pictures and textures, the story's main theme will be a mystery to most kids. [7] Deterred by the main theme, this book is not good for children. Why is your hair grey and your beard black?

This simple book is great for a quiet time read. Thought-provoking enough to resonate with adults and simple enough for children to enjoy. Not too short, not too long. I never mind reading this book. Reminiscent of Daniel in the Old Testament of the Bible.