Knight: A Noble Guide for Young Squires

The ultimate source on becoming a knight to remember – in a handsome compendium filled with novelty features.

What if your father were held captive and it were up to you to strap on your armor and ride valiantly to his rescue? With just such occasions in mind, one noble knight pours his years of experience into this instructive volume. How to train and joust, ride off on adventure into battle, use and care for a knight’s weapons, and live by the code of chivalry–here is everything a knight-to-be could want to know. Girded with pops, flaps, booklets, and even a squire’s board game, this magnificently illustrated book, dressed in a shining foiled cover, gives courageous young squires a chance to fulfill their destiny.

Grade 2–6—In a letter to his son Hector, Sir Geoffrey de Lance explains that he is being held captive by a French knight and is writing this book to instruct the boy in the ways of knighthood in hopes that he will someday come to his rescue. The following 14 double-page chapters cover the basics of this celebrated profession, including weapons and equipment, training, heraldry, jousting, castle building and sieges, questing, peacetime pursuits, battles, and tales of famous knights real and fictional. Only a few sentences on each topic are provided, and the spreads rely heavily on colorful illustrations, diagrams, pop-ups, pull tabs, and foldouts. The elegant, tea-toned pages re-create the look of an antique manuscript, and the visuals are attractively arranged. A board game called "Squire Fight" is included along with several easy-to-lose playing pieces, and some of the flaps may not hold up to overly enthusiastic perusal. This fun-to-browse book is most appropriate for gift giving or display.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal
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