King Charles the III is now King of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and he is finding his new crown just a little heavy to manage. 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.

Sheila May Bird's joyful rhyming text will delight little ones as they explore all the roles their king might have to take during his reign and gently explores themes of being brave and finding courage.

Accompanied by Mark Beech's glorious and hilariously warm illustrations with a caricature-style that brings the stars of the story to life.

'Even the most ardent republican will find something to make them smile.' The Bookseller

Beech, Mark

Mark uses a traditional pen and ink style along with Photoshop to create his mostly figurative work, which has proven popular in the world of children's publishing, advertising and the greetings card industry. Mark's technique allows him to express both the humor and charm in his work whilst retaining a feeling of spontaneity. Mark's illustrations have graced the covers of some of the biggest names in children's literature, such as Enid Blyton and Terry Pratchett.

Bird, Sheila May

Sheila started to write children's stories in 2005 and has worked for many publishers including OUP and HarperCollins. She does most of her writing in a little blue shed in her garden. It is decorated by letters and pictures from her readers and through the window, she can see fields with rabbits, peacocks and deer. When she isn't thinking up stories, she loves walking in the countryside. This is her first book for Welbeck Flame.