Three Swords for Granada

Publishers Weekly

Myers (Monster) shifts gears to offer younger readers an entertaining swashbuckler set in 1420 Spain. The author sets up the conflict between the Moors and the Catholics in a way that the audience can understand easily: cats versus dogs. In cat-dominated Mylaga, which Speirs s (The Little Boy s Christmas Gift) charming pen-and-ink and wash drawings depict as an intimate seaside town, a trio of young feline friends, Askia, Poco and lovely Lacy, confront a pair of Fidorean Guards, part of a larger canine group attempting to seize control of their city. It soon becomes clear that the dogs intend to take Granada and thereby capture Spain. Painting the enemy as a troupe of burly curs gives Myers ample opportunity to launch a plethora of comical quotes (e.g., We will not let the glories of our kingdom go to the dogs, cries their leader, Pietro). His three heroines contribute mightily to the cats united efforts to secure Spain s safety, and their viewpoint keeps the historic struggle in terms to which youngsters can relate. The action culminates at the Alhambra, the palace of the Moors and the sacred home of the cats. Colorful characters on the sidelines (Romulus the rat, who is almost as wide as he was tall; a company of gypsy cats that the threesome meets on the road to Granada) add extra depth and breadth. Readers will likely have so much fun that they may not realize how much history they are learning along the way. Ages 7-10. (Aug.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Set in 1420, the section of Spain called Granada is invaded by an unruly and vicious group of dogs called the Fidorean Guards. The native cats, that are hunted and persecuted, know that things will only get worse. When the Fidorean Guards demand that all cats must move into a settlement, they know something must be done. Three cats, Askia, Paco, and Lacy, create a formidable force when they unite to fight for the freedom of Granada. As the Fidorean Guards become more and more greedy, they attempt to invade a neighboring town and it is there that the cats band together and overcome the dogs. Standing up for what you know is right is never an easy thing to do. These three swashbuckling cats know that freedom is worth a high price and they are willing to pay it, if need be. Children will enjoy this tale as the cats outsmart and out maneuver the dogs who seem to rely on brawn alone. Freedom is restored to Granada thanks to the Three Swords for Granada! Soft, pen and ink sketches by John Speirs accentuate the story in this transitional chapter book. 2002, Holiday House,
— Joan Kindig

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-It is 1420, and the great Spanish cat civilization is under attack by canine enemies, the coarse and brutal Fidorean Guards. When the commander orders that all felines be rounded up and resettled, their underground prepares to fight back. Young Paco, Lacy, and Askia are anxious to offer their swords to the rebellion. Instead of combat training, however, they are detailed to conduct a group of kittens to safety before the fighting begins. The friends resent what seems to be a trivial assignment, but the trek through dog-occupied territory proves to be much more dangerous than they expected. This is an exciting animal fantasy for children not ready for Brian Jacques's "Redwall" series (Philomel). The snappy dialogue, flashing swords, and daring action, as well as the charming ink-and-wash drawings, will appeal to readers who enjoy high adventure laced with a touch of whimsy.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A turgid animal fantasy features Spanish cat musketeers crossing swords with thuggish dog invaders. Fearful but resolute Askia, chubby but loyal Paco, and fearless but female Lacy find themselves in an elite circle of cat conspirators plotting resistance to the foul-breathed Fidorean Guards. The wise and ancient Pietro is the heart and soul of the cat underground, and he sets the three friends to a series of tasks that test them and their fitness to take part in the cat revolution. The tasks seem curiously unrelated to the goal-busy work accomplished easily despite narrative bluster-and the inevitable and eventual defeat of the Fidorean Guards is assured when an enormous cat host masses against the inept hounds, begging the question, how was is it that the Fidorean Guards managed to mount a successful invasion in the first place? Actually, many questions go begging in this slim volume that never seems to end: Where did the Fidorean Guards come from? Why does Pietro, Spanish patriot, have an Italian name? How is it that Speirs's (The Little Boy's Christmas Gift, not reviewed, etc.) busy pen-and-ink washes depict costumes from a time 200 years after the 1420 setting? How is it that Myers (Patrol, p. 663, etc.), so sure a wordsmith most of the time, can produce the clunky prose that causes the narrative to trip on itself with almost every turn of the page? "Askia was angry when he left Omar, but he knew that his anger would not be enough to save Lacy. Tava had called him young and hot-blooded, but now was the time for him to be more, to reach inside himself and discover who he really was." Is it possible that the chapter-book crowd is secretly crying out for a medieval animal fantasy? This,alas, cannot possibly be what they are hoping to get. (Fiction. 7-10)