Customer Reviews

Sword In The Stone, The (level 2) (Hello Reader)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you buy this book expecting to introduce your children to Arthurian myth, you will probably be disappointed. This book keeps only young Arthur, Merlin, and the barest outline of the beginning of the story of King Arthur.

If, however, you are looking for a reasonably fun, short story for a child who is past "Hop on Pop" but not ready to read anything much more complex, you will be very well pleased. The story is simple, but reasonably engaging, the vocabulary is also simple, and the illustrations are decent. This is the first "Hello Reader!" book I have bought for my 2nd grader for use in home schooling, but it will definitely not be the last.

The other review on this page mistakenly refers to this edition as the novel by T. H. White. Its not. This edition is a short adapation for young children of how King Arthur became king. Maccrone's Arthur is a young boy, and he is "tricked" by Merlin into freeing the sword from the stone. Boddy's illustrations are great.

I was a little surprised that someone could take such a rich story and boil all the flavor out of it. This is simplified to the point of boredom. Until the last few pages, it appears to be the story of four men of various sizes who fight a war while young boys watch from the bushes. I liked the artwork, but my three-year-old daughter and I were wondering where the rest of the story went. Maybe a younger child would be OK with it, but there are many, many books out there that will stir the imagination of a young child more than this one.

Reason for Reading: Ds read aloud to me as his reader.

A very basic bones representation of the King Arthur story telling the part where Merlin claims whoever can remove the stone from the sword will be the king. All kinds of princes try at no avail and then Merlin tricks the boy Arthur into pulling the sword form the stone. We picked this one up this week as we needed a quick read for ds and I'm rather more impressed with the story than I thought I would be. He laughed and certainly enjoyed the story and the pictures, though he already knows parts of the Arthurian legend. Reading level was spot on for him, mostly easy with a few harder words to make the book a learning opportunity as well. A fun easy reader.

Hey everyone out there! READ THIS BOOK! it is boring in some parts, but still good! This shows that T.H. White was an excellent author! He can spin magic with his fingers as well as J.K. Rawling and Brian Jacques! (Although they came after him!)