This is a charming little story about a boy who wishes to be a king after growing tired of his “regular” life. He thinks of all of the things he wouldn’t have to deal with as a king, eggs on toast and his annoying baby brother among them.
When he wakes up, he finds himself in a castle filled with books and toys. He and other children who have also wished to be kings and queens are now rulers of their own kingdom. While charmed at first, he soon begins to miss his normal life. In the end, he is more appreciative of his “regular” life.
While best for elementary aged children, my three-year-old loved this.
“That was a great story!” He proclaimed when we finished this. The illustrations are gorgeous and the story is fun. We would love to add this one to our library when it comes out.

A "careful what you wish for" fable about a boy fed up with his everyday annoyances and wishing to be king. Granted his wish, he realizes that there is a lot to appreciate about his home and family and goes back a bit wiser.

The illustrations are very lively and detailed. There's a lot in the pictures to identify and discuss. This would be a relatable tale for preschool - early elementary kids and could spark interesting conversations about what they would change in their lives if they were in charge and what unexpected results might occur.

Note for US readers: there's small but noticeable bits of UK/Commonwealth English that may need clarification for young readers.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books for a free digital copy.

This is a wonderful and happy little book about a boy being granted his wish and becoming king for a day, but then realizing his real life was better than his fantasy. I do appreciate his love of reading.

This heartwarming book will turn hearts toward home. It emphasizes the importance of home and family to each and every one of us.

Thomas has had it with his family. His little brother is a pain and he gets no relief from this irritation when he wants to be left alone and read his books in peace. He is ever so frustrated and exclaims:

“If I were a king, I would be in charge! No more eggs and toast for breakfast, I’d eat CAKE! I would read books all day long, and wear a glittering gold crown that I’d never take off.”

Be careful what you wish for Thomas. The next morning he wakes up to find that he indeed is a King. He is wearing a flowing red robe and a glittering golden crown on his head. He is in charge! Hurray! He discovers that during the night he has magically been transported to a real castle and that all the kids living there are like-minded and want to be in charge too.

At first Thomas is ecstatic...Yahoooooo! He can do exactly what he wants and likes. He can eat all the cake he desires, read all the books he loves, and his pesky little brother is nowhere around to bug him. Utopia! But soon reality settles in and Thomas longs for the familiarity of his family and his home. Will he be able to make his way back to reclaim the love and security he finds there once again?

The illustrations are very colourful, detailed and kid-friendly. I love them. The book's message is inspiring as it highlights "the power of imagination and the even greater power of home."
I highly recommend this book.

A cute story about the power of imagination. Ideal for gaining perspective and appreciation of things we have. This would be a great primary grades read especially when discussing other people’s points of view.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I really liked the book If I Were King by Chelsea O’Byrne. I thought that it was well written, had very cute illustrations, and that it had a good underlying lesson about being grateful for what you have. I hi k that it will help teach kids to see the importance of what we have and how sometimes more isn’t better,

Thank you Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the e-ARC.

I loved the illustration...it's so adorable and well capture the messages behind the stories. The theme itself its not something new but any children able to learn being happy as any other ordinary kids do.

If I Were A King is a book about a boy who is frustrated with his home life. He loves to read and hates the loud, messy interruptions of his younger sibling. He wakes up to find he's king and can do what he wants. However, things don't go as planned and he ends up missing his normal life. The book has wonderful illustrations and imparts the message of appreciating what we have. I think kids will be able to identify with him, especially if they're struggling with a younger sibling.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.