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King Arthur
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We started reading King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green a few years ago. While I cannot remember the exact scene, we stopped reading it because it was going way over the top into sorcery and my children were getting “weirded out, Mom.” I see that Howard Pyle has a book about this also; what is it like? Also, would I be able to expect a 5th grader to read this or would I need to read it aloud?
Thank you! Oh, and Good Morning!!
Cindy
Hi, Cindy! Yes, the various King Arthur books can be quite a challenge! LOL I don’t care much for the Green either; another one to avoid is Rosemary Sutcliff’s, although I do like some of her books. My Arthur “expert”, my middle son, says there is certainly some Merlin sorcery junk–it’s there, but it is better than some. He says you could easily skip the section on Merlin and not lose the basic story line. He recommends you reading it out loud, possibly, and so do I, so that you can edit the Lancelot-Guinevere section as needed. The Pyle book has beautiful language and vocab, but it’s sure hard to get a good book on this topic!
Michelle
So…why is it a must read in so many circles? That sounds catty; it isn’t meant that way, I’m just curious.
We read the Pyle version aloud as a family. We really liked it, and my husband insisted that we wait to read until he could listen too, which was great fun for me. There were some “weird” parts, but we just plowed through them and said, “That was weird.” The parts weren’t so disturbing that we wanted to put the book away.
As for reading level, some fifth graders could read it if they are comfortable with the style, but it’s not an easy read. I read the book aloud, and it took me awhile to get into the rhythm of Pyle’s writing. But once I did, it was fun to read aloud and to catch his sense of humor.
By the way, Pyle’s version of Robin Hood is fantastic. We liked it even more than King Arthur. (We weren’t prepared for Robin’s death at the end, though. The kids and I cried through that chapter.)
Cindy, my best guess at an answer to your question is “extreme anglophilia” There are some folks that if it’s by an English author, it’s mandatory, it seems to me at times. And Esby is right, that the Robin Hood book is terrific, so I guess the added combination of “well, if one by him is good another is better” would explain part of it.
Wasn’t there a Christian author who has written some King Arthur books recently? Has anybody read these? How do they compare?
I am often highly amused at the things that people in the US think is a must do, or must have , just because it seems the English or British thing to do. I do not mean to be offensive to anyone, but just like the English have many misperceptions about people from the US, it is the same the other way around. I take very little notice of lists and what is a mandatory read – there are many books on the high school reading lists, that I would not expose my daughters to and would recommend them perhaps for when they are adults – I don’t feel guilty about that at all. I believe we must all do what seems right for our own families. In all my years and they are many – I did not come accross any of Green’s books, until I got here to the US!! I am extremely well read and went to Uni in the UK studying history, geography and literature – this author, seems exceptionally popular here, but I never came across him in school or college though I saw the name in the bookshops – that is just an example. I have friend who loves everything British and I have to shake my head sometimes, because his ideas of what we are, how we behave and all is so off the mark. I had to laugh when our local church group asked me to put together a booklet about an English tea party – I put one together, and they were astounded that there was no fruit or herb tea, on the menu – well a traditional English tea, does not have either – it is black tea with milk and sugar and scones with clotted cream, dainty sandwiches and little cakes. I told them they were welcome to add fruit tea etc, but it was not traditional and I could not pretend it was so, however they were convinced it was normal in the old days to have fruit and herb tea. Fruit and herb tissanes given for ill health were around, but not for afternoon tea.
So back to the subject, there are many great English authors and many great American authors as well, however there are just as many on both sides of the pond that I would not touch with a barge pole. I would not feel pressured to read anything, pick and choose and do what is best for your own families. I did not spend a lot of time on Arthur, literature on the subject is all fantasy and barely resembles true history – consequently I see little point in it. Tennyson’s Idylls of the King and Malory’s Le Morte D’artur are great reads, but not history. It is the same with Robin Hood, Sherwood Forest exists, but it is pure legend and not true history. Poets talked of a man named Robin Hood and his exploits, and there may have been a person or persons like him, but there is no real proof – it is in the main just a good story. Linda
Whether it’s a ‘must read’ or not, British or not, I love Arthur. As a child/young teen I read every book I could find on him, fact or fiction, I didn’t care. I absolutely loved it. Same with Robin Hood. My boys are slowly developing that same interest (largely spurred by their obsessed mother). There’s no real point to my post other than to say some of us read it just because it’s fun!!! I’m having a stinker of a time finding versions I feel are appropriate for them though.
I loved reading Arthur myths and fantasy when I was younger, too, but must confess that I ended up “losing my way” spiritually for a few years in my teens, and I believe it was the fantasy books, beginning with a few Arthur ones, that began the troubles for me–I was young, my faith was new, I had few people to talk to about spiritual issues, read some things, was too easily influenced, and the next thing I knew, I was in some dark places. So I’m a little more leery of them than most, I assume. My middle son loves anything medieval, but I have definitely been choosier with him, AND more pro-active in discussing issues that might impact his faith or how he feels about God, and hopefully he’ll end up making better choices than I did.
Excellent point, Bookworm. Because I have read so much, and lost my way for a bit too, I’m super sensitive with my boys. Which is why it’s so frustrating – to want to share a love of something and not find “appropriate” materials for them. I love homeschooling in that I’m aware of everything they’re reading and I have all day to discuss our beliefs with them. Growing up I got it on Sundays and once or twice a week from my parents, but not every day, not all day!!!
Isn’t that the really great thing about homeschooling? We can protect them, and that’s important, but when push comes to shove, it’s going to be the discipling day in and day out, all those long talks at inconvenient times, that our kids will have available to them as they make choices. What a difference. What a blessing to be able to provide our children!
I really appreciate your points bookworm and your experience missingtheshire. I wonder if there are books you recommend on the subject of medieval time period that is more history based rather than myth/legend based. I have no experience in this area at all. But I know my boys are interested in this time period and I’d love to steer them through it all.
Anabetica, My kids are still little, but in the future, we have a book I saw recommended I believe on SCM for this time period that looked good: “Adam of the Road” by Elizabeth Janet Gray.
“Elizabeth Gray has re-created, with superb effect, a period of English history glowing with life and color…this absorbing story will take its place among the finest historical stories for children.” –Horn Book
HTH I tend to stick away from magic and sorcery and most fairy tales now also. There is so much great literature out there about real life that we don’t have to read fantasty. 😉
Tara
First of all I should mention that our teens have read King Arthur and such books, for free reading not their history studies. When we study history we have made a point of looking for books that are grounded in fact as much as is possible with history. I have no problem with literature books like King Arthur and Robin Hood; I just don’t treat them as history, more as folklore. I should also say I am covering history with teenagers so the things we are reading are perhaps not suitable for younger children. I do know that there are some pretty good books covering the middle Ages from Yesterday’s Classics, I have seen them at a friend’s house and they are geared to a younger audience, so you may find some there, my friend really enjoys them with her children. She says some of these cover the more mythical and folkloric tales and have little real history in them, however as long as you are aware of this, then enjoy them if you want to read adventure stories.
I called her today to ask about the books for younger students and she came up with
Heroes of the middle Ages by Eva March Tappan ages 11 and up
When Knights were Bold by Eva March Tappan ages 11 and up
Page, Esquire and Knight by Marion Florence Lansing ages 10 and up
These come from Yesterday’s Classics, I had a look at their website and they have a lot of books for younger readers.
Also Magna Charta by James Daugherty is an excellent book
Quite a lot of British history especially in the early days is full of witchcraft, sorcery and magic, so if those things cause offense, then one has to be very discerning about the books that you choose to read. Some of them are easy to skim over, others less so.
The American website below is one my friend uses regularly to look things up; they have a lot of interesting stuff.
My own personal favorite is
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/Default.aspx
This has a lot of wonderful stuff on it, including a lot or original source material which I like to use in my history teaching.
Some of the books my teens have enjoyed are:
Life in Medieval Times by Marjorie Rowling
1215 The Year of Magna Carta by Danny Danziger and John Gillingham
Warriors of God, Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade
1066 The Year of Conquest by David Howarth
The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Medieval World
All of these books are adult level and secular; however as my daughters are now seniors they can discern and discuss with us the things in the books. They also enjoy all of the books by Alison Weir, she has written many historical books covering various times and they are very good, however not easy reads for teens that don’t care for history. I also use a lot of my own college notes to study the period with them, and discuss the various aspects, I make up my lessons using these and then reading and discussion.
I think you will find a lot of good information on the websites above, and good luck with the studies.
This is another interesting website, though there is a yearly member fee of $20.00 – they have a lot of good things posted.
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