An imaginative boy brings a surprising array of friends to dine at the palace in this Caldecott Medal–winning picture book. One day, a small boy receives a very special invitation-the King and the Queen have invited him to the castle for tea. He accepts, with one question: ""May I bring a friend?"" ""Any friend of our friend is welcome here,"" says the King. But their guest's friend turns out to be someone they never expected! Beatrice Schenk de Regniers's rhythmic text and the fantastical, jewellike artwork of Beni Montresor have made this book a favorite for more than twenty-five years.