Customer Reviews

Young Guinevere (A Dell Picture Yearling)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

When I found this book, the artwork captivated me. The story is simple yet strong. I would buy this if I had a child. It is beautifully illustrated and told. Take/Borrow it and read it.

The Arthurian legend is well-known, but what is less familiar is the story of Queen Guinevere's early life, prior to becoming Arthur's Queen. In "Young Guinevere", author Robert San Souci has weaved a narrative of Guinevere's early days as a child and beautiful young woman based on classic and contemporary sources. The daughter of King Leodogran, Guinevere's name meant "white fairy", her skin being white and framed by auburn hair. Her future as Arthur's wife is foretold by an old crone, a seer who tells young Guinevere that the round table will be her dowry when "the greatest king of all comes to claim you as his bride." The story portrays Guinevere as strong-willed, brave, and impulsive, and this last trait is of particular interest when one notes how it comes to play in the Arthurian legend many years later.

In this book, the story ends with Guinevere riding off to be married to Arthur, accompanied by the great Merlin. The story and illustrations go well together and I think these stories will appeal particularly to children ages 8-12, and especially to those who love stories centered on the Arthurian legend and figures.

My second-grade daughter was fascinated by this book. She has lately read lots of stories about knights and heroes (including Young Lancelot), but this one featured a young woman, just as brave and clever as the young men. The illustrations are gorgeous and the story is charming. This is a good introduction to the King Arthur stories, which we'll tackle at some point in the next few years. Great material for a vivid imagination (which hopefully hasn't been tainted by the Disney movie "Sword in the Stone").

I read this book first when I was in second grade. I am now 24 and still remember the beautiful vivid pictures. I remember little of the story other than that it introduced me to King Arthur. But the illustrations were amazing.

This is one of those books you'll read and keep reading even though it is geared towards pre-teens. I find myself re-reading the story, and looking at the pictures to see if I can find something I didn't see before. It is a captivating story that introduces you to a legendary character. I would recomend this book to anyone.

The pictures in Young Guenivere are beautiful(she was the model for a Goddess vision in one of my novels)but the story, yes, I know it's written for children, but the story wasn't up to snuff.

YOUNG GUINEVERE IS ONE OF MY FAVOITE BOOKS. BECAUSE HER HEART IS FULL OF COURAGE AND CURIOSITY. SHE IS HEARTWARMING SWEET AND GENTLE. AND THE STORY TELLS ABOUT HER YOUNG ADVENTURES.

REVIEWED BY MICA NIGHT