LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
A touching and clever story by award-winning, former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo gives an imaginary insight into the childhood of the future Charles III.
Using the true story of Prince Charles’s unhappy years in school, Morpurgo weaves magic into it when the young Charles meets Alfred, a king from history, in the scene where he famously burns the cakes! Alfred has wise words about the role of a prince and future king that help the young Charles to feel happier about his life.
Michael Foreman’s beautiful illustrations add exactly the right timeless quality.
Julia Eccleshare M.B.E.
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The Boy Who Would Be King Synopsis
A beautifully illustrated full-colour tribute to King Charles III, published to mark his coronation - from the bestselling creators of There Once Is a Queen.
There once was a boy who was going to be king one day . . .
From the Nation's Favourite Storyteller Sir Michael Morpurgo comes a poetic celebration of our new monarch, King Charles III, beautifully illustrated in watercolour by acclaimed artist Michael Foreman.
There once was a little boy, born a prince. Encouraged by his parents, he grew up with a passion for the countryside, wanting to look after it. Then, as the longest-serving Prince of Wales in British history, he dedicated decades of his life to raising awareness for conservation.
Now our king, his devoted work will continue to inspire the protection of our planet for future generations. This allegorical story tells how - with the help of a tiny acorn - a wise old woman gives a lonely boy, who would be king, the courage and determination to change the world for the better, for everyone.
An exquisite companion to There Once Was a Queen, this commemoration of King Charles III's coronation is a gift book truly to be treasured.
Michael Morpurgo said, ‘Last year I wrote a fairy tale inspired by the life of our late Queen Elizabeth II. I called it There Once is a Queen. She had been queen almost all my life; I saw her coronation live on a small black-and-white television in my village hall, the whole village gathered round. Sadly, sadly she died shortly after I wrote my fairy story. We have a new king, to be crowned in May, King Charles III. He is just a little younger than me, but we grew up part of the same generation. I always felt a kinship. He, like me, went away to boarding school, and he, like me, developed an abiding love of nature and the countryside. So I have written another fairy story, not about King Charles, but very much inspired by him, and by his childhood in particular. Michael Foreman and I would like to dedicate this book to His Majesty the King, and Her Majesty the Queen Consort, wishing them well and happy in the years ahead.’
Michael Foreman added, ‘I wanted to follow the young prince's early appreciation of, and concern for, the natural world. A concern, which has remained with him, and is now shared by children around the world and, thus, an acorn has become a forest.’
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780008615406 |
| Publication date: |
13th April 2023 |
| Author: |
Michael Morpurgo |
| Publisher: |
HarperCollins an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers |
| Format: |
Hardback |
| Pagination: |
64 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Young Adult Fiction
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| Other Genres: |
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Press Reviews
Michael Morpurgo Press Reviews
Praise for Michael Morpurgo:
'A master storyteller at his best' - The Sunday Times
'Michael Morpurgo writes brilliantly about war and animals, conveying the big emotions without preaching' - Guardian
'Champagne quality over a wide range of subjects' - Daily Telegraph
'There are few children's writers as compelling as Michael Morpurgo' - Daily Express
Praise for The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo:
'The Butterfly Lion is unique among animals and books, and will touch all hearts - both young and old' - Virginia McKenna, Born Free Foundation
Author
About Michael Morpurgo
Michael Morpurgo has written over 90 books and has an unparalleled reputation in the world of children's books. His books have been adapted for the cinema, TV and theatre and he has won numerous awards including Children's Book Award, Whitbred Children's Book Award and the Smarties Prize.
Michael Morpurgo is, in his own words, "oldish, married with three children, and a grandfather six times over." After schools in London, Sussex and Canterbury (one of which was horrible enough to inspire him to describe it obliquely in The Butterfly Lion), he went on to London University to study English and French, followed by a job in a primary school in Kent. It was there that he discovered what he wanted to do. "We had to read the children a story every day and my lot were bored by the book I was reading. I decided I had to do something and told them the kind of story I used to tell my kids - it was like a soap opera, and they focussed on it. I could see there was magic in it for them, and realised there was magic in it for me."
Living in Devon, listening to Mozart, and working with children have provided most of the stimulae Michael needs to discover and write his stories. He spends about half his life mucking out sheds with the children, feeding sheep or milking cows; the other half he spends dreaming up and writing stories.
Michael Morpurgo, former Children's Laureate and author of bestsellers such as War Horse and Why The Whales Came, is the inaugural President of the Historical Writers Association beginning in Autumn 2011. The Historical Writers' Association (www.thehwa.co.uk) will celebrate its first anniversary in October. It was founded to bring social and professional support to writers of historical fiction and non-fiction, publishers, agents and booksellers, all bound both by their common interest in historical books and by the sense of community that comes from a shared obsession.
STOP PRESS: The Harrogate History Festival
Author of War Horse and over 130 books, and much-loved by readers of all ages, Michael Morpurgo will be at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate on Friday 23 October. Prepare to be inspired! Click here to find out more.
More About Michael Morpurgo
