Knights of the Round Table

by Gwen Gross

Overview

imagine a mythic kingdom in England of wizards and witches, fire-breathing dragons, and dreadful giants. Who can rule this magical land? Who can overcome the powers of evil? It is the destiny of King Arthur and his noble knights, who protect and serve the people of Camelot. A perfect introduction to the Arthurian legends.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780307771605
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	02/16/2011
Series:	A Stepping Stone Book(TM): A Stepping Stone Book Classic
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
Sales rank:	743,579
Lexile:	500L (what's this?)
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Gwen Gross is a freelance writer and editor. She began reading the tales of King Arthur as a child, and as research for Knights of the Round Table she read almost every book on the subject, from the earliest medieval versions to the most recent. She is married and lives in New York City with her two children.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 3-6 Short chapters relate Arthur's pulling the sword from the stone, Lancelot overcoming the fiery-mouthed dragon, Morgan Le Fay scheming to usurp the throne, Gawain marrying the monster Ragnall to save Arthur, the kitchen knight concealing his identity and Mordred's treachery leading to Arthur's ``death.'' Omitted is Guinevere's adultery. Carelessly, Big Hands is described as hurrying off without sword or shield. However, on the next page, the Black Knight's spear ``brushed Big Hands' shield'' and Big Hands subdues the knight with his sword! Hurled spears instead of gripped lances in every episode are anachronisms. However, the grade three reading level and large print puts these time-honored adventures within reach of children wanting background related to the latest screen version long before they can manage Howard Pyle or Sir Thomas Malory's editions. The simple vocabulary retains the spirit of the courtly heroics and the colorful pomp of the medieval circumstances. Utilitarian gray pencil and charcoal drawings coordinate closely with the narrative. Both half- and full-page illustrations will lure browsers. Pat Harrington, Phoenix Public Library

School Library Journal

"The grade three reading level and large print puts these time-honored adventures within reach of children long before they can manage Malory's edition. The simple vocabulary retains the spirit of the courtly heroics and colorful pomp."—School Library Journal.  

From the Publisher