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Young Knights of the Round Table: The King’s Ransom (Tales and Legends for Reluctant Readers) Paperback – August 1, 2016
- Print length118 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateAugust 1, 2016
- Dimensions6 x 0.3 x 9 inches
- ISBN-100997487577
- ISBN-13978-0997487572
- Lexile measure720L
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Product details
- Publisher : Bublish, Inc. (August 1, 2016)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 118 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0997487577
- ISBN-13 : 978-0997487572
- Lexile measure : 720L
- Item Weight : 6.5 ounces
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
I'm a lover of all mythology (myths, legends, & tales) from the ancient/medieval worlds. Myths & legends don't fade away. They are just repackaged for a new audience. As a H.S. English teacher, I challenged my students to find the connections between today & times long gone by. Some took more digging than others, but the connections are always there.
I write Arthurian Legend for young readers & teens. These stories exhibit what I consider to be cornerstones of that Legend: Courage, Friendship, Honor, & Loyalty. My tales from Egypt & my new series Feathers of the Phoenix meld the ancient/medieval worlds with today. The Atlantean Horse (Book 1 of Feathers of the Phoenix) also brings the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse out of the Bible & into the modern world.
My Grandma/Grandpa’s Tales, short illustrated tales, help youngest readers build their reading skills. The stories can be used with age 4 up to age 7 or higher if your child is an emerging reader.
P.S. I believe in magic & Unicorns!!
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonTop reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2024With The King’s Ransom: Tales & Legends, author Cheryl Carpinello delves deep inside myths and legends in this coming-of-age tale set in the days of King Arthur and his knights.
Young Prince Gavin and his cohorts, Philip and Bryan, seek to redeem their friend, known as the Wild Man, from a crime for which he faces a sentence of death. With each chapter, readers come to know each of these friends, along with a host of other memorable characters. We become invested in their journey to prove the Wild Man’s innocence before it’s too late.
The action is fast paced, with the characters’ quest pulling the reader along on this heart-pounding expedition.
This story carries a lot of weight. There’s a witch, a ghostly boy, a fight for survival, and a twist that many readers won’t see coming!
This isn’t my usual reading material. The King’s Ransom is geared more toward middle grade readers. But as an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed Carpinello’s tale. If you have young readers, they will love this adventure.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2012This is a fast, enjoyable read that I believe any middle grade boy would be enthralled with, and girls too. Set in the fantasy world of King Arthur, the story follows 12-year-old Gavin and his friends on their individual quests to save their friend, the Wild Man. The story also is accurate as to the medieval time period in many respects. I was most impressed by the complexity of the emotional world of the main characters, their character and story arcs were surprising but rang true and satisfying. The author did an excellent job of portraying rich and varied people in a rich and varied culture. Only one small thing bumped me as a reader, I do not think that one of the surprises at the ending was well enough foreshadowed. But overall, I'm looking forward to reading this author again--and I'm an adult.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2017King Arthur and the legends surrounding him and the Knights of the Round Table are fascinating. Cheryl Carpinello combined the legendary figure with the coming of age story of three friends in her book King’s Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table), and I had to add it to my reading list. Here are my thoughts!
Synopsis (from the author): Three Friends. Three Quests. Three Mysterious Predictions
In medieval Wales, eleven-year-old Prince Gavin, thirteen-year-old orphan Philip, and fifteen-year-old blacksmith's apprentice Bryan are brought together in friendship by one they call the Wild Man. When an advisor to the king is killed and a jewelled medallion is stolen from the king's treasury, the Wild Man is accused of the theft and murder. Filled with disbelief at the arrest of the Wild Man, the three friends embark upon a knight's quest to save their friend's life. To succeed, the three must confront their fears and insecurities, and one of them will have to disclose the biggest secret of all.
What I liked: Adding a coming of age twist to the King Arthur era was a neat storyline to me. Gavin, Philip, and Bryan all have different fears to confront, and each handled their quest bravely. The idealism each displayed was inspiring, and there was enough action and intrigue to keep my attention. Add to that a few interesting secrets, and the stage is set for a good story. Lastly, although written for ages 9-12, I enjoyed the read!
What I didn’t like: King’s Ransom (Young Knights of the Roundtable) had a few predictable parts, especially during the three quests. Additionally, though I liked the characters, they were a bit clichéd.
Overall impression: King’s Ransom (Young Knights of the Round Table) by Cheryl Carpinello captured the essence of the King Arthur legends and the idealism embodied in the stories. With good characters, nice plot twists, and a few surprises, the book is an excellent read for ages 9-12 (or anyone who simply enjoys a good book!
My rating: 5 Stars
- Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2020No adventure story worth its salt is complete without a quest, but when that quest is bound up in Arthurian legend and filled with castles, knights and heroes, then you have a real adventure on your hands. At the beginning of the book, we meet a trio of unlikely friends, Prince Gavin, Bryan the blacksmith’s apprentice, and poor orphaned Philip, who take a solemn oath to solve a mystery. But time is against the youngsters if they are to unmask a murderer and recover a precious stolen jewel – The King’s Ransom – before an innocent victim is wrongly executed for the crime. The victim in question is the Wild Man of the woods, a mysterious recluse who has befriended them over the past couple of years, and although they don’t really know anything about him, they are all convinced that he cannot be guilty of murder and theft.
Fraught with danger, this quest tests each of these three young people who all have dreams, desires and tribulations of their own. Prince Gavin cannot wait until he’s old enough to become a Squire, but first he must face his fear of not being brave enough in combat. Bryan longs to be a knight, a position surely beyond his reach, because he is too lowly. Philip must cope with heart-rending sorrow, for his whole family died of a fever, one after another, leaving him all alone in the world.
Will the intrepid threesome succeed in their quest? Will they track down the murderer and recover the stolen treasure? Will they be in time to save the Wild Man? And will their individual dreams come true? All is revealed in a conclusion that has a couple of surprising twists, leaving the reader guessing right till the very end. This story is an exciting page-turner, sure to thrill young readers.
Top reviews from other countries
- eppingstriderReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 15, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars You really felt you were standing on those castle walls
This is a well-constructed, exciting story of three friends from very different social backgrounds, set in West Wales in Arthurian times. Gavin, Bryan and Philip band together to clear their mysterious friend who has been framed for murder and the theft of a priceless jewel, the King's Ransom.
I love the way the three are introduced, each in their own chapter, giving their background, their hopes and their fears. As misfits, they are drawn together, and guided in some of their more ambitious studies by the Wild Man. The castles, and the rivalries between different ones, are beautifully described. You really feel you are standing on those castle walls or ducking under rough-hewn low stone entrances. I was slightly distracted by Philip's journey to St David's Head, where he stood on the headland in a storm and got buffeted about a bit. In my experience, he would have crawled on hands and knees up the hill and lain flat hanging on for dear life, so as not to be blown away! It's really exposed up there, even on a mild day! The distances ridden by the friends are considerable, but then I've never ridden from Pembroke to St David's Head, and Cardigan Bay covers a huge area so maybe it's ok, if they only had to go as far as Cardigan itself.
It is a highly enjoyable story with plenty of tension and the added comfort of a mysterious seer who gives each of them a bit of advice. The characters are well drawn, the pace is good, and the sentence structure and language choices should encourage reluctant readers. I found it a quick read, but an attention-grabbing one! I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
- Eddie NessunoReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 24, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Story telling at its best!
I bought this book for my twelve-year-old Swiss granddaughter for Christmas to encourage her to read English, not just French, and was tempted to read it first. Glad I did! It truly is story telling at its best, as three boys fom different backgrounds, like young knights of the Round Table, join forces to save the life of the 'Wild Man' wrongly accused of stealing a precious medallion from the king, and of murder. Superbly written; the author never 'talks down' to her young readers which I see so often in books for middle graders and young adults. Highly recommended!
- ron LalondeReviewed in Canada on August 17, 2014
4.0 out of 5 stars Ron511
Cheryl's writting was pleasent and witty. The story line was a nice twist of bravery and companionship. .