Customer Reviews

The Sword in the Tree

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is great for children who are working on reading but who yearn for intellectual stimulation which is missing from the other books they get to read. The plot is fascinating and the story provides interesting historical information. A real winner.

Once your child has moved beyond easy phonetic readers, you'll want to find interesting books with large print that aren't too difficult or overwhelming for the new reader. Bulla's "The Sword in the Tree" fits this description perfectly.

Try reading the first chapter to your young reader to spark his interest. Then read the next chapter or two aloud together so he/she becomes familiar with the words and flow. Then sit back and listen as your child finishes reading this exciting book about greed, courage, and chivalry.

(written by 9 year old reader of book)

There are 14 chapters in this book. It has people like King Arthur. It has a sword in it. And it has a battle in it. There is an Oak Tree that is the tree. There is a picture in every chapter. You will like this story. Do not take my word for it, look for this book in the library or the book store.

(note from parent:)
My son really enjoyed reading The Sword in the Tree, just as he has other books by Bulla. They are excellent even for relunctant readers like the one who wrote the above review.

This book is an excellent source for "medieval" units. I have used it with weak 5th grade English as a Second language readers and they are very successful with it. It teaches grade level content at a lower reading level. They do not feel they are reading an easy book. It is a wonderful starter book for reluctant readers.

I read this out loud to my 4-year-old son, who loves anything involving King Arthur, and he was captivated. His only disappointment was that there is no book to follow with more tales of the young Shan and his adventures. I highly recommend this as well as other historical fiction by Bulla. I have also read "Pocahontas and the Strangers" to my son, and he loved that as well.

My five year old son is homeschooled. Noteably, he's a huge fanatic of anything related to the King Arthur era. This year we are involved in a Classical Conversations group that recommended this book along with others to go along with our history. It's very fitting. We own "Pirate's Promise" from the same author. I read that one to our son at the age of three and we continue to read it once a year. This book is just as good as the other. I highly recommend both to any young child who enjoys an easy to read adventure! This will hold their attention!

Sword in the Tree is a great way to introduce kids to the Middle Ages. Young readers can read the book on their own because the vocabulary and sentence structure are simple. The book is in no way dumbed down, however. This was a difficult and danger time, and the subject matter reflects the era. Highly recommended reading for elementary age kids (my 5yo daughter LOVED it). Also recommended for older children: Otto of the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle.

Part of my 2nd grader's homework is to read for 30 minutes each night. I am always on the lookout for books he will enjoy reading, so I don't have to MAKE him do it. There was no force involved with this one. He finished the whole book in one sitting and couldn't wait to tell me about it. Apparently there were sword fights and villains and knights and King Arthur, and a couple of heroes as well. What more could you ask for? Pretty exciting for an easy to read book.

"I am Lord Weldon! __I__ am Lord of Weldon Castle!!"

I must have been about 7 or 8 when I read those words, spoken by a 9 year old whose father was believed dead, to his evil uncle. The boy's mother stood by silently.

As a child, I sympathized with him.
As a female, I felt offended. I didn't understand why the little boy believed he outranked his fully grown adult mother in power and prestige.

As an adult with some historical perspective, it makes more sense.

This was a great story, about family love and adventure and history, and I will always be grateful to Clyde Bulla for awakening the earliest feelings of feminism.