#678 of 1001 · June 9, 2022

You’ll chuckle at the delightful outcome of the ardent contest in The King of the Birds by Helen Ward. A grand gathering of all the birds in the world convenes to select a ruler. Some say the biggest bird should be in charge, some say the fastest, some say the most colorful…finally, they agree that the one that can fly the highest will be crowned King. They all flap into the air, each trying to soar the highest. The great eagle rises above all the rest, but, just as the mighty bird reaches its peak, a lowly wren creeps out from its hiding place on the eagle’s back and leaps just a little bit higher. Thus, the wren is given leadership over all the other birds, by virtue of its cleverness. Ward uses ink line drawings painted in watercolor and gouache to enhance her clear, straightforward text. #king #birds #bird #fly #flying #flight #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks