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Welbeck Flame acquires ‘uplifting and humorous’ story celebrating King’s coronation by Bird and Beech
Welbeck Flame has acquired “an uplifting and humorous” story to celebrate the coronation of Britain’s new king, by Sheila May Bird and illustrated by Mark Beech.
Gemma Farr, associate publisher (maternity cover), bought world rights to the text of The King’s Hats from James Catchpole at The Catchpole Agency. It will publish on 13th April 2023.
The story explores all the different hats King Charles has to wear for his new job. The synopsis says: “King Charles III is now King of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, but he is finding his new crown just a little heavy to manage and he is worried that he might not be as beloved as his dear mama, Queen Elizabeth II. But his good friend Tom the gardener is on hand to show him that kings must wear all sorts of hats and that he must be brave and allow himself to be the king he was born to be.”
Farr said: “We wanted to create a book that not only marked this momentous moment in modern British history but also celebrated the King’s personality – a book that he would enjoy reading to his grandchildren, with a positive message about having faith in yourself no matter how big the challenges. This book was such a joy to work on. With Sheila’s beautiful and affectionate story and Mark’s funny and imaginative artwork, this really is a match made in heaven.”
Bird added: “I have a great deal of affection for the royal family and was saddened when Queen Elizabeth II passed away. It occurred to me that even someone as important and brave as a king must face and cope with changes. It is equally challenging for a child when faced with a new situation – starting school, a new sibling, or a domestic upheaval. It is just as important for them to have a ‘happy place’ to visit (the King has his garden) and to have someone they trust to talk to who can help them find ways to cope. Luckily for the King, he has Tom the gardener.”
