Knights of the Round Table

February 1, 1986
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