# The King of the Birds: Beyond the Stars

Michael Scott, Chris Haughton

A captivating short story taken from the collection, BEYOND THE STARS, written and illustrated by two great Irish talents in children’s fiction todayOn the day of the Winter Solstice, all the birds of Ireland assemble before the wise old Barn Owl to choose their ruler by a trial of flight. When Iolar the Golden Eagle, the largest and most powerful bird there, is challenged to the title by the tiny and mysterious Dreolin the Wren, his feathers aren’t ruffled: he thinks he deserves to win. But perhaps his confidence is misplaced, for having courage, heart and the respect of your peers are just as important as strength and endurance…An uplifting tale of the triumph of ingenuity over strength, whose memorable characters are brought to life by evocative artwork.Look out for the other eleven stories - also available as e-shorts!

## Other short stories from Beyond the Stars collection, also available as e-books:

The Star Dogs by Roddy Doyle, illustrated by Steve Simpson

The Hero of Drumree by Derek Landy, illustrated by Alan Clarke

The Brockets Get a Dog by John Boyne, illustrated by Paul Howard

How to Help Your Grandda by Judi Curtin, illustrated by Chris Judge

The Lookout by Eoin Colfer, illustrated by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

The Snow Globe by Marita Conlon-McKenna, illustrated by P J Lynch

The Battle of the Ice Queen by Gordon Snell, illustrated by Michael Emberley

The Last Cat by Celine Kiernan, illustrated by Tatyana Feeney

Across the Cold Ground written and illustrated by Oisín McGann

Ice Fairies by Siobhán Parkinson, illustrated by Olwyn Whelan

Discovering Bravery by Emma Brade, illustrated by Niamh Sharkey

## The King of the Birds. Michael Scott. Illustrated by Chris Haughton


## Copyright

First published in Great Britain and Ireland by HarperCollins Children’s Books and Fighting Words Ltd. as a story in Beyond the Stars: Twelve Tales of Adventure, Magic and Wonder

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‘The King of the Birds’ text © Michael Scott 2014, illustrations © Chris Haughton 2014

Cover design © HarperCollins Children’s Books, cover image © Shutterstock

Michael Scott and Chris Haughton assert the moral right to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work.

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Source ISBN: 9780007578467

Ebook Edition © 2014 ISBN: 9780008103385

Version: 2014-09-15