Morris. The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True

Morris, Gerald    The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True (Knight’s Tales)      Houghton Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher      2011  118p  14.99 978-0-547-41855-1 elm/ms      VG-BNe      Fairytale   

     

    In Morris’s delightful addition to the legends of King Arthur and his Court that is aimed at the elementary school crowd, Morris tells the story of Sir Gawain the Undefeated who learns a life lesson in courtesy and humility through his dealings with the Green Knight.  It is not just a retelling of a fairy tale but a sprightly written and exciting adventure that is utterly engaging.  It offers a little fantasy and a lot of action fun in a witty story.  The plot is rich and interesting, the characters are very three-dimensional, and the dialogue clever and amusing in a chapter book that is sure to appeal to both good and reluctant readers. The author mixes adventure and magic into this very well done book that is enhanced by its charming black-and-white illustrations.            

      This is an excellent addition to Morris’s The Knight’s Tales and should increase interest in the legends of King Arthur.   King Arthur Susan Ogintz