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.’
