ARTHUR AND THE SWORD

A retelling of the events that culminated in Arthur's ascent to the throne depicts his dramatic removal of Uther's sword from the stone and is accompanied by illustrations made to look like stained glass. Children's BOMC Alt.

Kindergarten-Grade 3?Sabuda's stunning illustrations for this best known Arthurian story make it an extraordinary effort. The retelling is solid with language that conveys the voice of the legend while remaining easily readable. In this short form, characters are sketchy. Sir Kay, usually providing comic relief and conflict with his pomposity, dishonesty, and churlishness, is here merely an opportunist. The tale of pulling the sword from the stone has so many interpretations that the writing alone doesn't warrant a new edition. The artwork is actually painted on glass, done predominantly in purples, blues, and russets with gold. Each double-spread generally provides one full-page and one smaller picture, all outlined in black leading, resembling medieval stained-glass windows. Here, Sabuda masters yet another medium in order to suit his story perfectly. Again, giving as much thought to the medium as to delivery, he has produced an outstanding piece of art?pictures that delight and really tell the story.?Helen Gregory, Grosse Pointe Public Library, MI
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Noted author/illustrator Sabuda recreates the glory of the legend of Excalibur with startlingly powerful stained glass illustrations. Detailed swirls of liquid color-regal blues and purples, deep greens, a fiery amber-saturate each lead-veined image. As suggested by the unprepossessing title, Sabuda personalizes the epic tale, filtering the events through his eager, naive young hero: "Long ago in a time of great darkness, a time without a king, there lived a fair boy named Arthur." Tinged with drama, the narrative succeeds in conveying both the grandeur of the legend and the personal transformation of a boy-king unaware and unsure of his gift. The final, radiant image of the sword conveys the splendor of the story: "So in the quiet of that day in the small churchyard, the young boy lofted the mighty sword, raising high the country out of darkness and bring forth a new world." A page of notes following the story outlines the history of Arthurian legend, crediting this version to Sir Thomas Malory. Ages 6-9.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 2^-5. In his newest picture book, Sabuda retells the story of young Arthur, who pulls Excalibur from the anvil and becomes the long-awaited king of England. The retelling begins with the appearance of the sword and ends with Arthur accepting his fate. But the artist's faux stained-glass images, created by applying liquid lead and glass dyes to Plexiglas, add a whole new dimension to the familiar story. The stained-glass effect captures the age, magic, and mystery of the story, especially for the picture-book audience. It's another successful stretch for a multifaceted illustrator who has already produced books such as Saint Valentine (1992), Tutankhamen's Gift (1994), and The Christmas Alphabet (1995). His stained-glass portraits, especially of Merlin and a shining Excalibur, demand attention. An author's note is appended. Kathy Broderick