The Bravest Knight [Hardcover]

Mercer Mayer (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

I wish I lived a thousand years ago. There would be beautiful castles, kings and queens, good knights, bad knights, fair ladies in danger, evil dragons from the mountains, and a giant troll that roars and eats anything.

What kid hasn’t dreamed of living in fairy-tale times—hasn’t imagined himself as the bravest knight in all the land (or at least the knight’s faithful squire). As he has done in his celebrated There’s a Nightmare in My Closet and its follow-ups, Mercer Mayer brings childhood fantasy hilariously to life here. Bad knights are forced to pick flowers for the king, a day’s adventure involves rescuing a cat from a tree, and our hero boldly fights a fire-breathing dragon using his trusty slingshot.

This silly charmer, originally published in 1968 as Terrible Troll, has been entirely redone in vivid color. It’s a rediscovered gem with timeless appeal.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2—Mayer's Terrible Troll (Dial, 1968; o.p.) has been redone in full color, which gives the story new life and vitality. A little boy wishes he lived a thousand years ago so that he could be a squire to the bravest knight and encounter kings, queens, knights, dragons, and trolls. Funny details abound in every picture as he imagines polishing the knight's armor, sharpening his sword, and being rescued from a huge dragon. If a troll were terrorizing the countryside, the knight and his squire would fight him and the victor would emerge. It is then that the child decides he no longer wishes to live during this period. This fresh version of an old favorite should find a place in all picture-book collections.—Linda Staskus, Parma Regional Library, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

A young boy fantasizes about living "a thousand years ago" in a world with beautiful castles, kings and queens, not-so-evil dragons, and a giant troll. Fully immersed in his daydream, the boy serves as squire to the bravest knight, and all goes well until they are asked to save the kingdom from the terrible, giant troll. When the troll appears to have overcome the knight, the boy abruptly retreats from the fantasy, concluding, "I'm glad I didn't live a thousand years ago." Originally published in 1968 as Terrible Troll, this new edition alters the title and jacket artwork to shift the focus from the troll to the boy. The text remains unchanged, but the artwork's double-page scenes have been enlarged to fit a more expansive format and updated with much brighter colors. This attractive reissue, perfect for sharing with groups, will entice new readers into Mayer's fanciful medieval world. Randall Enos
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial (May 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803732066
• ISBN-13: 978-0803732063
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #131,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mercer Mayer has been writing and illustrating children's books for over 35 years. He began the popular Little Critter series nearly 30 years ago and titled the first book Just for You. His wife, Gina, has been co-writing the series since the early 1990s. The books in this series address the major issues of growing up through humorous storytelling.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Knight Tale!, February 18, 2008

By 

Kelly - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bravest Knight (Hardcover)

This book is great for the child who loves knights, but isn't ready for a lot of text. In typical Mercer Mayer manner, a lot of the story, and all of the humor, is found in the illustrations.

For those who might be sensitive, be aware that the knight who the boy is squire for, gets killed by the bad guy at the end of the book, prompting the boy to decide he doesn't want to be a knight after all. The death of the knight is implied, and not shown.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book - love Mercer Mayer, March 23, 2011

By 

B. Graham - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bravest Knight (Hardcover)

This is a children's book that both my 3yr old son and I can enjoy. The story is easy for him to follow and the illustrations are very well done. No Disney graphics here. I rented this from the library so many times I had to buy it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, December 16, 2007

By 

dturpin "dturpin" (St Louis MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bravest Knight (Hardcover)

The images in this book are wonderful and the storyline is very good also. My 5yo who is really into knights really loves this book.