Arthur & Camelot - Myths & Legends

The Sword in the Stone

Name: The Sword in the Stone
Author: Hudson Talbott
ISBN: 9780688094041

by Hudson Talbott

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Overview

Except for the dragon-shaped constellation that appeared at his birth, there was nothing that suggested Arthur was destined for greatness.

Raised by the gentle Sir Ector, Arthur spends his boyhood exploring the Welsh woodlands, until one day a messenger arrives announcing a grand tournament to be held in London. Arthur's older brother, Sir Kay, insists they must attend with Arthur as his squire. After traveling the long road to London on horseback, Kay performs brilliantly in the contest, but it's young Arthur himself who ultimately wins the day.

The first volume of the Tales of King Arthur series introduces younger readers to the classic story known for over one hundred years as The Sword in the Stone. Hudson Talbott has faithfully retold this heroic tale with humor and warmth, showing a human side to Arthur rarely glimpsed before. His vivid, richly colored paintings capture a crowded London at Christmastime and magnificent knights jousting on the field of battle, as well as the legendary sorcerer Merlin and the magical sword that reveals Arthur's destiny.

Alive with the drama of medieval England, this book will awaken young readers' interest in the legendary king who set new ideals for knightly valor.

By being the only person able to draw a sword from an anvil on a block of marble, a young boy proves himself to be the successor to the throne of all Britain.

About the Author, Hudson Talbott

Hudson Talbott

Hudson Talbott illustrated Show Way (by Jacqueline Woodson), a Newbery Honor book, and Leonardo's Horse (by Jean Fritz), which was an ALA Notable Book and a VOYA Honor Book. He lives in New York City and Leeds, New York, in the Hudson Valley.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

The classic story of Arthur's discovery of his noble birthright under Merlin the sorcerer's watchful eye receives some contemporary touches in this attractive volume. The author/illustrator of We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story presents young Arthur as unprepossessing, content to attend to his duties as his knighted brother's squire, dazzled when he is brought to London, reluctant to forsake his adoptive father for the throne of England. The illustrations encompass a range of styles--street scenes bustle; pictures of tournaments surge with energy; depictions of public assemblies suggest the anonymity of crowds. A bit less successfully, a few ethereal or studiously reverent illustrations herald the future glory of Arthur. On the whole, however, the drama in Arthur's feat of removing the famous sword from the stone on Christmas Day is not merely preserved but heightened. All ages. (Sept.)

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-- The highlight of this adaptation of the coming of Arthur is the illustrations--vivid watercolors ranging from small vignettes to richly detailed double-page spreads. Costumes, armaments, and crowd scenes are especially eye-catching. Unfortunately, the text is less impressive. For some reason, Talbott strays from Malory's original from time to time, as when Arthur goes in search of a sword for his brother Kay, and later when Kay tries to claim Excalibur for his own. Instead of Kay's having left his sword behind and sending Arthur grumbling back to locked lodgings to look for it, here it is Arthur's error. Later, Kay yields the magic sword because he fails to return it to the stone, not, as Malory tells us, because he refuses to lie to his father under oath. Kay's basic honesty is here reduced to petulance--a minor point, but puzzling all the same. Acceptable because of the high quality of the art and the dearth of other versions for this age level, but otherwise not a first purchase. --Barbara Hutcheson, Greater Victoria Public Library, B.C., Canada