King Arthur's Very Great Grandson

Henry longs to ride into battle like an old-fashioned knight, but his potential opponents (dragon, griffin, etc.) are only interested in friendly competition. So, while Henry never fights, he does make new friends. The simple resolution is balanced by the humor of Henry's predicament and his incongruous chivalric language. With its intricate patterns in fine black lines, the meticulous artwork invites scrutiny.

A fresh and fun story that draws on myth and legend and is engagingly told. Kenneth Kraegel’s eye-catching illustrations—which alternate scenes of a comically small Henry in sweeping landscapes with scenes of comically small Henry confronting enormous creatures—feature striking patterns and texture. Especially notable are the hundreds of individual tufts of grass; a tree’s swirly maze-like bark; and the sea’s “roiling waters,” composed of masses of serpentine armed hands. Deadpan humor (for example, Henry rides a trusty donkey named Knuckles) and droll dialogue, including Henry’s all-capital entreaties (“AHA, STRANGE BIRD! I AM COME! AND AT LAST I HAVE FOUND A WORTHY OPPONENT! NOW UNSHEATHE YOUR CLAWS AND LET US HAVE ADO!”), make for a great read-aloud. Kids will find it amusing that while Henry is so set on physical duel—“a fight to the uttermost”—the nonviolent beasts are only interested in peaceable challenges, such as a staring contest and a game of chess.