Young Guinevere (A Dell Picture Yearling) [Paperback]

Robert D. San Souci (Author), Jamichael Henterly (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1996

When enemies lay siege to her father's castle, young Guinevere braves the perils of the local forest to seek help, paving the way for a fateful meeting with King Arthur and the fulfillment of the prophesy of her childhood. Reprint. SLJ.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The romantic story of the girl who would become King Arthur's queen has "all the ingredients prized by fantasy aficionados," said PW; however, the tale "occasionally becomes self-consciously weighty." Ages 6-10.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-- Hardly a junior Mists of Avalon (Ballantine, 1985), this large picture book pays welcome attention to a female figure--the central female--in the Arthurian cycle. The motherless daughter of a king, Guinevere spends her maiden days embroidering or wandering in the forest with her bow. She shoots a wolf, then discovers and treats the shape-changing, wild boy she has wounded. Later the wolf/boy helps her evade a siege of her father's castle, escape a dragonlike beast, and seek aid from the court of King Arthur. Arthur falls in love with her, but she overhears Merlin warn him that their marriage could be disastrous. When the young king decides to take that risk, the story ends happily, with Guinevere riding off to her wedding. (A postscript summarizes the later developments in her story.) Henterley's illustrations are traditional and romantic, rich in color and detail, although the figures are sometimes a bit stiff or flat. The decorative elements, drawing on Kells-period design, and the spot illustrations, modeled on the Bayeux Tapestry, are particularly successful. The appeal of the pictures should lure readers to this book, which may in turn springboard a few to more complex treatments of Arthurian material. --Patricia Dooley, University of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; illustrated edition edition (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440412919
• ISBN-13: 978-0440412915
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,318,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Myth From the Might Have Been, March 5, 2002

By 

Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Young Guinevere (A Dell Picture Yearling) (Paperback)

This is a beautiful picture book for pre-teens rather than for really young children. It has a mythological tale of what young Queen Guinevere's life might have been like. It is well written by the talented Robert D. San Souci and is filled with symbolism and adventure and heroism. The illustrations are well done and are brightly colored like the pages in a medieval illuminated manuscript. Beautiful mythical creatures like a chimera and a unicorn and a werewolf help give this story its otherwordly feel and add to the mysterious and magical flavor we have come to know from other great Arthurian writers like Sir Thomas Malory, T.H. White, and Howard Pyle. This is a simple story that ends with foreshadowing of the world Guinevere will grow into and it makes a good introduction to this enigmatic character.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy the hardcover, December 6, 2000

By 

"kmmdaley" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Young Guinevere (A Dell Picture Yearling) (Paperback)

I had to buy this book because my daughter (6) was checking it out from the library so often. It is an unusual look at Guinevere and offers a good, empowering role model for girls. We love the illustrations and have read it over and over. Unfortunately, the paperback version has not stood up to those many readings. The pages have all had to be taped back in because once one came loose, the rest followed. I don't blame the binding, it is just that a paperback cannot survive that much love.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Illustrations, May 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Young Guinevere (A Dell Picture Yearling) (Paperback)

This book has the best illustrations that I have EVER seen. They draw you to the text and are partnered with the book perfectly. They have the quality of a photograph.