Victor and Otto are brothers and princes. They’re very competitive, but they’re also somewhat greedy. Each one wants to be king when the old king dies, but only one can sit on the throne. In Tuula Pere’s Friends and Rivals, the two princes fight it out and Victor, the eldest, claims the throne. He throws his younger brother, Otto, in prison and rules the kingdom with fear and violence. All is not well in the castle, nor in the kingdom itself. And Otto lives for decades in the prison deep beneath the castle. Can the two reconcile their differences after so many years? It takes another young boy to find the spell, one of love, compassion, caring, and a whole lot of common sense.

Tuula Pere’s picture book, Friends and Rivals, is a clever take on the biblical story of the prodigal son. The author addresses the issue of greed and sibling rivalry in a story of wealth and royal power. The language is simple to help young readers follow along. The illustrations by Iva Dukic are spectacular: bright, bold, and colorful – full of life and vigor. The plot begins with the young princes and their competitiveness and progresses through the taking over of the throne and the saddening decline of life in the kingdom as the princes forget the reason for their feud. Young readers will be riveted by the story to the very end and they’ll be cheering on the little boy who comes between the princes to set things right. A touching, engaging, and educational story about morals.

Friends and Rivals by Tuula Pere is a beautifully illustrated children’s book about two princes who were the best of friends as children. As the boys grew up, they were very competitive; this did not change. As young men, they each gathered an army, and when their father, the king, died, they went to war to decide who would be king. Victor won the crown and sent his younger brother Otto to the dungeon. Victor became distrustful and isolated as the years went by, and his kingdom reflected this. Otto remained in the dungeon, seemingly forgotten. One day, a young boy heard Otto and offered to bring him water. Speaking with Otto, he learned the story of the two brothers who were best friends until one of them was to be king. The boy took it upon himself to bring the brothers together and save the kingdom. But can a boy change a bitter king’s heart? Maybe with the help of a magic lamp, anything is possible.

Rivalry among young children can become unhealthy between older boys and adults. Tuula Pere has captured the essence of how rivalry for power can corrupt the closest relationships. Brothers are natural rivals, which can affect motivation and reaching goals but can also end up hurting interpersonal relationships. Moving on and healing can be complicated, but Friends and Rivals teaches children to think before they act and to forgive. By striving too hard to win, a person can end up with everything he wants but lose what he needs to enjoy what he receives. Friends and Rivals is suitable for young readers, and it will also entertain them with its colorful illustrations by Iva Dukic.

Competition is great unless it gets out of hand. In Friends and Rivals, Tuula Pere shares the story of two brothers, both princes, who played together and were competitive. When the king died, Prince Victor threw his younger brother, Prince Otto, into the dungeon so that the throne was completely Prince Victor’s. How far can jealousy and competitiveness go? Read this book and learn the misery that competition, lack of trust, and mercilessness can cause. It took a courageous, kind, wise young boy to reunite the brothers and agree the best course of action was to rule jointly. As your child reads this book, help them understand that teamwork is always better than fighting. Friendly competition is healthy and encourages each other to do better. Unhealthy competition causes divisions, pain, and anger. Teaching children the differences between healthy and unhealthy competition will pay big dividends when they become adults.

In Friends and Rivals, Tuula Pere teaches that one must be careful when competing and strive to remain friends after the score has been tallied. This middle school book does a good job of explaining why it is important to show sportsmanship during and after any competition. Iva Dukic nicely illustrates the text. The storyline flows flawlessly, and the reader is naturally drawn from one page to the next. Another lesson a child will learn is trust. If you think everyone is after what you have, you will learn to isolate and protect yourself from others. People need people. One of the most beneficial skills you can teach your child is knowing who can or cannot be trusted. Parents have a major role in teaching their children life skills. Be sure to discuss competition, trust, and the need for teamwork with your child.

Friends and Rivals is a children's storybook by Tuula Pere, featuring illustrations by Iva Dukić. Once upon a time, two little princes loved galloping around their castle, playing on stick horses. These two princes were brothers named Victor and Otto, and they always pushed each other during their games. As the years passed, their rivalry and competition grew fiercer. Both brothers wanted to become the next king and plotted to amass wealth and power for themselves. When the old king eventually passed away, Prince Victor seized the throne and put Prince Otto in the dungeon, using guns and violence to consolidate his power. Decades pass, and both are now old men when the intervention of a brave child brings them an unforeseen opportunity to make amends for past mistakes.

Friends and Rivals is a captivating children's fable with a beautiful message about trust and friendship. Author Tuula Pere's character work in this book is stellar. Despite the brevity of the tale, Pere ensures readers get a glimpse into the minds of the two main characters and understand their motivations and actions. The passage of time changes a person's outlook on life and their relationships, and this is brilliantly shown in this story. Iva Dukić's enchanting illustrations capture the essence of Pere's storytelling and enhance the read. I loved how the child appealed to Prince Victor's heart and brought back his humanity. It was my favorite part of the entire book. The ending is hopeful and warms your heart as you finish the story. All in all, it is a fantastic picture book for children.