A kind king in a far off land has been hiding his ears from everyone in his kingdom - even his wife, the queen! He has horse's ears on his head and he is afraid everyone will laugh if they find out... Until a magical violin changes everything! For Independent Reading at White Band 10, readers aged 5-7 years. This story is part of Reading Champion, a series carefully linked to book bands to encourage independent reading skills, developed with Dr Sue Bodman and Glen Franklin of UCL Institute of Education (IOE). Reading Champion offers independent reading books for children to practise and reinforce their developing reading skills. Fantastic, original stories are accompanied by engaging artwork and a reading activity. Each book has been carefully graded so that it can be matched to a child's reading ability, encouraging reading for pleasure.

A kind king in a far off land has been hiding his ears from everyone in his kingdom - even his wife, the queen! He has horse's ears on his head and he is afraid everyone will laugh if they find out... Until a magical violin changes everything!

King Mark has a secret: He has horse's ears. No one knows but his barber, but the secret eats away at the barber until he has to tell the doctor -- and the doctor advises him to tell his secret to the ground. Eventually the king has to admit his secret and learns to live with his ears.

Only the king and his barber know that the king has horse's ears, until the secret gets outs just in time for the king's wedding day.

The king has horse's ears and hides his secret. But being different can be an advantage. That's what King Mark learns, as will young readers of this book, which is up for the Australian Library Association Book of the Year award."[This] version gives the tale new legs and a strong heart." -TES Teacher

A wonderful king, loved and respected by all his people, had a secret that caused him so much worry.

Born in the stables of the Sultan of Morocco, an Arabian stallion named Sham is taken to England, along with the loyal yet mute Arab stable boy who tends to him, and becomes one of the founding sires of the Thoroughbred breed.