The Boy Who Would Be King

A poetic, beautifully illustrated children's book - the perfect gift to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III

By Michael Morpurgo

2023

First Published

4.20

Average Rating

Number of Pages

2H12M

Audio Length

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.

Avg Rating

4.20

Number of Ratings

5 STARS

45%

4 STARS

35%

3 STARS

15%

2 STARS

1 STARS

goodreads

Author

Michael Morpurgo

Author · 138 books

Sir Michael Andrew Morpurgo, OBE, FRSL is the author of many books for children, five of which have been made into films. He also writes his own screenplays and libretti for opera. Born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1943, he was evacuated to Cumberland during the last years of the Second World War, then returned to London, moving later to Essex. After a brief and unsuccessful spell in the army, he took up teaching and started to write. He left teaching after ten years in order to set up 'Farms for City Children' with his wife. They have three farms in Devon, Wales and Gloucestershire, open to inner city school children who come to stay and work with the animals. In 1999 this work was publicly recognised when he and his wife were invested a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to youth. In 2003, he was advanced to an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL) in 2004. He was knighted in the 2018 for his services to literature and charity. He is also a father and grandfather, so children have always played a large part in his life. Every year he and his family spend time in the Scilly Isles, the setting for three of his books.