Tag Archives: Knights

Elem. – Reading Rocks!

Posted on by
Reply

Reading Rocks! Child’s World, 2023. 32 p. $32.08 each. Grades 3-5.

Gigliotti, James.  Knight Life. 978-1-503-85823-7.
Teitelbaum, Michael. Pirate Life. 978-1-503-85821-3.

These titles are the most recent entries to the Reading Rocks! series of high interest books on a variety of topics. Knight Life and Pirate Life appear to be updated versions of previous editions from 2009 and 2007, respectively. Told in simple but engaging text, the authors go beyond the myth and legend to present honest, yet age appropriate, assessments of the lives of these figures from history. In Knight Life, Gigliotti describes the origins of knighthood, their training, weaponry, armor, and modern day knights. Working from the premise that pirates were “pretty awful” people, Teitelbaum discusses their history and crimes, life aboard ship, pirate lingo, and superstitions. He also takes a quick look at notorious pirates from both film and history. Each book contains a table of contents, an index, and suggested readings. Subject specific vocabulary is highlighted in the text and defined in the glossary. The “Think About It” section features a few thought provoking questions (e.g. “Do you think the idea of chivalry was good? Would it be useful today?”). There are attention grabbing drawings and photographs throughout the text.

THOUGHTS: Elementary libraries in need of high interest nonfiction books that students will enjoy reading will want to consider these.

940.1 Knights
972.9 Pirates

Elem. – Knight Owl

Posted on by
Reply

Denise, Christopher. Knight Owl. Christy Ottaviano Books. 978-0-316-31062-8. 44 p. $17.99. Grades K-3. 

Owl is smart, brave, and resourceful, and he dreams of putting these traits to the test by becoming a knight. When knights start disappearing from the castle, Owl applies to knight school, and to everyone’s surprise, is accepted. After graduating, he’s assigned to the Knight Night Watch. Each evening, he patrols the castle wall, and unlike his companions, never falls asleep once. One night, a large dragon lands on the castle wall and threatens to eat Owl. With some quick thinking, Owl suggests the dragon try some pizza instead. The pair munch on slices and bond over their shared experiences of hatching from eggs, love of the nighttime, and soaring through open skies. Owl’s bravery and cleverness lead to a surprising new friendship as he proves that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. This title’s digitally created illustrations feature nighttime shades of blue, yellow, and brown, and Owl’s vivid facial expressions and large eyes feature prominently on many pages. 

THOUGHTS: Themes of perseverance and working toward your dreams take center stage in this book, as does the idea of brains trumping brawn. Owl also demonstrates the true traits of a hero: quick wits, a sense of humor, and a big heart. This title will be popular with readers clamoring for titles featuring dragons, knights, and life during medieval times. 

Picture Book          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

YA – Squire

Posted on by
Reply

Alfageeh, Sara, and Nadia Shammas. Squire. Quill Tree Books, 2022. 978-0-062-94585-3. 336 p. $21.99. Grades 7-10.

As an Ornu, Aiza exists on the outskirts of the Bayt-Sajji empire. Her parents are content with their simple but restricted life, while Aiza longs for adventures beyond the borders of the Ornus’ designated community. Opportunity arrives with an announcement that the Bayt-Sajji military is expanding its ranks, offering successful recruits the position of Squire and full citizenship in the Empire. Aiza’s parents reluctantly agree to let her enlist, but ask that she hide her Ornu markings for her own protection. Recruitment involves intense physical training, history lessons, sparring, military strategy, and a general who rules with an iron fist. Aiza’s scrappiness, zeal, and big personality serve her well in training (not so much in history lessons). With the help of a few key allies, she makes steady progress. When Ornu rebels ambush Aiza’s patrol group, secrets and betrayals come to light and everyone must choose a side. Themes of heroism, loyalty, and identity are depicted through bold artwork with plenty of swordplay and action sequences. The author/illustrator team of Nadia Shammas and Sara Alfageeh include a must-read “Making of a Page” section that has insights into the script, artistic inspiration, and more.

THOUGHTS: Squire is a fast-paced read with depth, and the creators leave the door open for follow-up installments. It is a must-read for fans of Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes series.

Graphic Novel          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

Elem. – Return of the Underwear Dragon

Posted on by
Reply

Rothman, Scott. Return of the Underwear Dragon. Random House Studio, 2021. 978-0-593-11992-1. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-2.

In this sequel to Attack of the Underwear Dragon (2020), Sir Cole has determined that the Underwear Dragon only tried to destroy the kingdom because he was unable to read the signs instructing him not to. Therefore, Sir Cole makes it his mission to teach the Underwear Dragon how to read. It is a difficult process, and both parties get so frustrated they want to give up. However, that’s when Claire comes along with her fire extinguisher, which she uses to put out the dragon’s flames of frustration. Sir Cole selects another book that the Underwear Dragon finds more interesting, and together, the trio continues to work towards its goal. Portraying the value of both literacy and perseverance, this humorous book definitely will resonate with young kids who are just learning to read.

THOUGHTS: Although this was not necessarily my favorite book this year, I did appreciate the humor and subtle messages portrayed by the story. Give this book to fans of Attack of the Underwear Dragon (2020) and/or students just learning to read. 

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member