Young Lancelot (A picture yearling book) [Paperback]

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

Book Description

Publication Date: March 9, 1998 | Series: A picture yearling book

Lancelot, the most famous knight of fabled Camelot, was raised by the Lady of the Lake, a powerful enchantress. He grew to be handsome, strong, and intelligent--but also arrogant and cold. When he joined King Arthur's Round Table, his prowess as a warrior was unquestioned. But he had forgotten two of the most important qualities of a truly great knight: mercy and tenderness. This is the story of young Lancelot and his quest to become the greatest knight of all--a knight both brave and kind.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

knight time Robert D. San Souci turns out the third book of his Arthurian cycle with Young Lancelot, illus. by Jamichael Henterly (see Young Guinevere, p. 78). The text is hampered by clicheed dialogue (Lancelot: "You yourself say this is my destiny. Yet you hold me back"; his guardian: "Oh, King's Son... it breaks my heart to part from you"), while the illustrations present expressionless, idealized figures in romantic, richly colored settings.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-San Souci continues his retellings of Arthurian legends. Lancelot is raised by the Lady of the Lake in her enchanted kingdom. Never revealing his true name or that he is the son of a king, she wants him to become an intelligent, caring warrior, but instead he becomes hardhearted and arrogant. When he hears of King Arthur's Round Table, he wants the chance to meet his destiny. His arrogance wins him no friends there, but Arthur allows him to tackle two difficult tasks to prove his worth. He conquers an evil knight and two giants easily, but falls short when battling black knights at Chapel Perilous. Lancelot feels sorry for himself at being defeated, but then has a soul-changing revelation. With his new attitude, he overcomes the black knights. His change comes too swiftly to ring true for someone with a heart that's "diamond-hard." Also, despite the use of vivid action verbs and strong descriptors, the two tasks are described too simplistically and without enough gritty conflict to make them interesting. The illustrations are colorful but do not reinforce the text: facial expressions are sometimes weak and unrepresentative of the action.
Cheri Estes, Detroit Country Day School Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Yearling; illustrated edition edition (March 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440414598
• ISBN-13: 978-0440414599
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,477,636 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bright Introduction, October 19, 2002

By 

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

This review is from: Young Lancelot (Hardcover)

Author Robert D. San Souci has used many excellent sources and deftly compressed them into this brief but colorful introduction to Arthurian legend, in particular the legends surrounding the bravest knight of the Round Table, Lancelot. The scope of this book takes place prior to Lancelot's relationship with King Arthur and the Round Table. It focuses on his youth and several of the mystical and magical experiences he encounters as he grows and develops in his knightly skills. The full-page illustrations are absolutely grand and will serve well to ignite youthful interest in these great sagas. Do not assume that because this is a picture book that it is for very young children. The vocabulary is geared more toward 5th, 6th and 7th graders. Don't miss a companion title, Young Guinevere. It's excellent as well.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Introduction to Camelot, January 29, 2001

By 

Rena Yount (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Young Lancelot (A picture yearling book) (Paperback)

This is an accessible entry into Arthurian tales, though a child reading it (rather than being read to) may need help with the vocabulary. The story is a simple one, but has substance. Lancelot has the fighting skills to be the greatest knight in the world, but he can't reach that level unless he has compassion too. It's not until he runs into a battle that he (seemingly) can't win that he begins to sympathize with the sorrows of others. Though the book stands on its own, I'd recommend following it with one or more of its companion books, The Young Arthur, The Young Merlin, and The Young Guinevere. The well-done illustrations are sometimes richly and sometimes subtly colored, and include intriguing details based on Celtic art. Kids will be rewarded for looking at the pictures carefully, as they notice the barely visible herons engraved on a shield, the jewel-like decoration on a scabbard, etc. I disagree with the Kirkus reviewer's charge that some scenes are melodramatic. Indeed, I would rather see more expressiveness - it's mostly the bad guys who smile in this book! Yet it is fitting that Lancelot is serious throughout. I feel many young readers will respond well to the intensity of the young knight who gazes out at us, as well as to his foster-mother's joy at the change he has gone through by the end. (If this book strikes a chord with the child of your choice, by all means check out The Kitchen Knight, by Margaret Hodges, Trina Schart-Hyman (illustrator). That story also emphasizes the importance of knightly humility and compassion, and the illustrations, while in a very different style, are exquisitely done. Trina Schart-Hyman has also illustrated a version of Saint George and the Dragon, which may be too bloody for the under-6 crowd, but gets rave reviews from many kids and parents. See the reviews here on Amazon.)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lancelot's First Adventures, April 8, 2009

By 

Marco Antonio Abarca (Colorado) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Young Lancelot (Hardcover)

Lancelot du Lac is one of the great characters of Arthurian legend. For children, his story is best broken up into smaller more easily understood sections. In "Young Lancelot", Robert San Souci wisely limits the scope of his story from Lancelot's birth up until the point that the Lady of Lake introduces him to King Arthurs court and reveals to Lancelot his true name. The story focuses on how the arrogant young Lancelot learns compassion. All and all, this is very well written book with a nice illustrations. Having finished this book, I am going to purchase Robert San Souci's three other Arthurian books.