Perceval: King Arthur's Knight of the Holy Grail
Gorgeous classical-style artwork accompanies this text-heavy adaptation of Chretien de Troyes'Perceval.Perkins stays close to the source, including some of the more enigmatic parts of the story of Kings while glossing over saucier bits to keep the telling age appropriate. The young knight starts off as a foolish, headstrong boy, but soon becomes one of Arthur's champions as he travels the land, besting opponents and rescuing distressed damsels. Younger readers will need help navigating the more oblique parts of the story, such as Perceval's encounter with the Fisher King, but there are still plenty of straightforward heroics to keep the pages turning. As with de Troyes' original, the tale ends abruptly and without resolution, and Perkins provides insight into story variations in an author's note. Throughout, Spirin's intricate full-color paintings, done in thegessotechnique used by medieval and Renaissance painters, display a range of passions and action. A handsome volume, this may entice young readers to breach the much-storied lore of Arthur's court.Ian ChipmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved