This image is the cover for the book King of the Hummingbirds

King of the Hummingbirds

The classic children’s collection: four fantastical stories filled with wit and wisdom, humor and heart In this wonderful collection of fairy tales, John Gardner turns a timeless tradition into a topsy-turvy whirlwind. In the title story, a kindly simpleton unwittingly becomes sovereign of an avian race. A wicked witch seeks a new profession—and, thus, identity—in “The Witch’s Wish.” In “The Pear Tree,” a sweet young boy is rewarded for his good deeds. And “The Gnome and the Dragon” presents a realm so mixed-up not even the reader can distinguish reality from illusion. With tongue-in-cheek wit and laugh-out-loud humor, Gardner has created a world that will delight readers of all ages.

John Gardner

John Gardner (1933–1982) was born in Batavia, New York. His critically acclaimed books include the novels Grendel, The Sunlight Dialogues, and October Light, for which he received the National Book Critics Circle Award, as well as several works of nonfiction and criticism such as On Becoming a Novelist. He was also a professor of medieval literature and a pioneering creative writing teacher whose students included Raymond Carver and Charles Johnson.

Open Road Integrated Media