Excalibur [Hardcover]

Carol Heyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1991 | Age Level: 7 and up

Based on the writings of Mallory and illustrated with Heyer's distinctive artwork, Excalibur provides youngsters with the real story behind King Arthur's sword, and offers the same timeless lessons in chivalry learned by the young king during his quest so long ago.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-- In her retelling of the story of Excalibur from Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur , Heyer makes some minor alterations, such as changing Sir Pellinore's name to the Black Knight. She also eliminates the ``holdeth's'' and ``hadst thou's'' of Malory's 15th-century prose. She makes a mistake, however, in attempting to show the underwater home of the Lady of the Lake, turning this magical kingdom into an exercise in drawing brightly colored fish that surround the decidedly unmagical-looking castle in the background. Otherwise, her dark and brooding pencil and acrylic illustrations work well with the text. While the book has some flaws, Heyer does an adequate job of presenting a young Arthur, unsure of himself and heavily dependent upon Merlin. A good starting point for younger readers not quite ready for Pyle's The Boy's King Arthur (Scribners, 1989) .
-George Delalis, Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Ideals Childrens Books; 1St Edition edition (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824984870
• ISBN-13: 978-0824984878
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,229,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A visual treat, April 4, 2000

By 

"narya58" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Excalibur (Paperback)

Excalibur is a wonderful book, a real treat for the eyes. The story is a straight-forward, easily understood retelling of the story of how King Arthur came to possess the sword Excalibur. What makes this book unique are the illustrations. Rich, deep, vibrant colors draw the viewer into a world where fantasy and reality are intertwined. This is the world of Arthur as I have always imagined it to be: mysterious places, beautiful people, uniquely detailed settings and creatures. A wonderful book to share with a child.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars King Arthur, November 6, 2008

By 

Joseph Adams "brother" (Superior, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Excalibur (Paperback)

Whosoever pulleth out the sword from the stone and anvil is king of all England by right of birth. Arthur drew the sword from the stone. He was dubbed knight and crowned king. Merlin was his teacher and protector. A black knight challenged all. He got excalibur from lady of the lake. The black knight offered his services to Arthur.