Clever Ali

When Ali turns seven, he goes to work with his father, the royal keeper of pigeons for the wicked Sultan of Cairo. On his first day there, he learns some important rules. First, he must never feed the pigeons too much, or they will become spoiled and selfish. Second, if he does anything to anger the Sultan he will be thrown into the deep, dark oubliette-a hole in the throne room where people fall down, down, down and don't even go kerplop. Watercolor art. Author's note. Artist's note.