King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (Graphic Revolve: Common Core)

C. E. Richards grew up reading comic books, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and watching Star Wars. He is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and lives in Atlanta, where he is working on book and magazine illustrations, comic books, poster design, playbill illustration, and album artwork for CDs.

Grade 4–6—The format of these retellings provides a gateway to otherwise daunting works of literature. By no means are these graphic novels meant to replace the originals; the vocabulary is limited, and the narrative, dialogue, and descriptive elements are rudimentary. Yet in combination with the bold, fresh, action-packed graphic elements, the stories will attract reluctant readers. What is verbal in the original novels, such as characterization or imagery, is dependent on the art. Line qualities in the color drawings are varied and show evidence of an accomplished illustrator. The books include discussion questions that teachers might find useful. These titles are visually attractive and will see a lot of circulation. Once in the hands of developing readers, they may open the doors to the masterful works on which they are based.—Joel Bangilan, Houston Public Library, TX
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