Lancelot (Books of Wonder)
Grade 2-4-Talbott continues his retelling of the "Tales of King Arthur." He begins with Lancelot's birth, his adoption by the Lady of the Lake, and his preparation for presentation at King Arthur's court. Accounts of Lancelot's daring adventures as a knight-errant-slaying dragons and rescuing fair damsels-follow his induction into the knighthood. The story continues with Lancelot's discovery of his love for Guinevere. Ashamed to have betrayed his king's trust by falling in love with his wife, the knight flees to the forest and lives in a state of madness. After a time, he is rescued by Elaine the Fair, who restores him to normalcy. In gratitude, Lancelot marries her and when their son, Galahad, is born, they present the child to the King and Queen. Here the book ends, which may leave readers to believe that they all lived happily ever after. The bold, dramatic, full-page watercolor illustrations are similar to those in the earlier titles in the series, with one jarring exception-the picture of Galahad's presentation at court is almost cartoonlike. This retelling, a series of episodes strung together without much of the complex background found in Malory's retellings, may leave adults questioning the value of trying to present the legend to such young children. Perhaps it's better to wait until they can read a fuller account, such as Howard Pyle's The Story of Sir Lancelot and His Companions (S & S, 1985; o.p.).Virginia Golodetz, Children's Literature New England, Burlington, VTCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.