Queen The Books

I have enjoyed every one of Gerald Morris' books based on the Arthurian romances. They are witty and wise. At first I thought this one might be a let-down after the previous volumes; Galahad is so tiresome. Beaufils saves the day: His innocence and naivite remind us how odd we humans are.

However, I am saddened to recognize the dissolution of the Round Table in the quest for the Holy Grail. I fear it means no more of these marvelous books, as enjoyable for me as for my ten-year-old grandson, who has been devouring them at the rate of two or three a week since getting out of school.

I have read all the Squire's Tale Books. I enjoyed number 8 very much, just as I enjoyed all the others. Stories of knights and King Arthur in particular have always been enjoyable to me. One of the professional reviews referred to the beginning age for this book as 5th grade and another said age 9. I disagree, though not drastically. My daughter is in the 4th grade. I would not want her to read it until she is in middle school, which is now the 6th grade in our district. The main character is looking for his father who does not know he was born out of wedlock. There is at least one reference to young knights "tomcatting around". The earlier books could perhaps be for a slightly younger age, but the stories are a little more mature in the later books for at least a middle school age. Of course, the Arthurian legends contain many references to faithfulness and unfaithfulness in marriage. Other than this simple caution, I think the books are a wonderful read. I would have read everyone of them straight through if I did not have two wonderful kids to distract me. Gerald Morris does a great job with his characters, the way he uses the original legends in the stories, and the hilarious situational and verbal humor. I am delighted to have discovered all the books by Morris while browsing and waiting on my kids at the library.

THE QUEST OF THE FAIR UNKNOWN provides a fine fantasy telling of a boy's quest to find his father, a knight of King Arthur's court. Beaufils leaves his isolated forest home in search of a man he knows only as 'Father' and finds himself on a mission to seek the Holy Grail in this fine story of adventure and exploration.

The Quest of the Fair Unknown is a very good book. Starting with Beaufils (pronounced Bo-feece) burying his mother and taking off to Camelot, the story is filled with transformations, magic, and adventure. It is really funny and is a great read.

The speech is realistic, the details descriptive yet not boring, and the characters very interesting. While Galahad and the hermits are just hilarious, others are more quiet, fun, active or, (in Beaufils' case)innocent.

I gave this book four stars simply because in my opinion The Squire's Tale is better. But really, this book is a must read, as of all Gerald Morris' books. The Quest of the Fair Unknown has a surprising but happy ending, and I enjoyed it very much.

P.S (The lady on the front cover is NOT killing the donkey!)

I am a fan of Gerald Morris' work, and this is a delightful addition to his Squire's Tales Series. The story follows an innocent who goes in search of his father after the death of his mother. Supporting characters include new characters Galahad, Ellyn, Bors and Lionel, and old favorites Gawain and Terrance. There are no fools in this book, a change for the series, and I think it is an improvement. Everyone seems to have a motivation; each of them is trying to do right in his own way (some failing miserably), which is appropriate for the subject matter. Yes, admidst the light banter, there are suprisingly deep themes. Gerald Morris explores the nature of right and wrong and the purpose of existence, and I think he pulls it off nicely. This book can be enjoyed by children for its wit and adventure and by adults for [the same reasons plus] the questions it raises.

This book is a bit different from the rest of the series in it seems to set itself up for a sequal. It is much shorter than previous novels, and I suspect that this book may be half of the original story idea. Lancelot, for instance, is mentioned at the beginning of the book, but he never appears later on, even though the events of the book could be really close to home for him. A new bad guy character is introduced, and some characters are warned about him, but afterwards he disappears from the narrative. You should not take this to mean that the book has plot holes. It is more a sense that future events in the series are being foreshadowed here, and I look forward to reading that book as well.

Now, as a bonus, I will talk about my favorite aspect of the series as a whole--the cover art. This book is as ridiculous as ever (part of the charm), a hodgepodge of victorian clip art with visible scan lines. The artist has depicted a scene found nowhere in the book, complete with at least one unidentifiable character and a mysterious green glow immenating from the door on the right (a grossly misinterpreted "fair unknown" perhaps?) All this is hillarious, of course, but sadly, it does not top the previous book, The Lioness and her Knight, which must be seen to be appreciated.

Tabloids and "people" sections of newspapers chronicle the lives of the rich and infamous. In a country that rejected a monarchy more than 200 years ago, why are we so interested in the lives of "royals?" It seems I see Prince William's visage on the cover of some publication almost every week.

Melissa Wyatt examines what it is like to be the subject of that paparazzi. Alex is a happy British teenager who enjoys his school and loves his horse. He has always known that his father is the "would be" heir to the throne of Rovenia but that country has been under Communist rule for decades. When the people of Rovenia vote to restore a constitutional monarchy and Alex's father agrees to assume the throne, Alex must leave his old life behind in order to become Prince Alexis.

He is resentful and resists his family's "duty first" attitude.

The book is a realistic look at life behind the castle walls. This is not a "prince's diary." There are hysterical and adoring crowds, the threat of assassination, and the daily battle with his tutor DeBatz who is trying to teach him about his country and his duties.

Alex is unprepared for his attraction to a Jet-Set princess who has him in her cross-hairs. He is an innocent in the high stakes world of tabloid journalism and pays a high price for his missteps. Alex must ultimately make a decision about his life, his future and his identity.

I picked up this book in a high school library and found I could not stop reading it. As a grown up, Alex's attitude was a little wearing but I think teens will identify with the confusion and conflicting emotions Alex is experiencing.

It made me reflect on the price that royals and celebrities pay for their lives of privilege.

This book is not the Princess Diaries, as others have stated. It is a truly believable account of Alex, heir to the throne of Rovenia, and the adjustments demanded of him as his father returns to take the throne lost by the family after WW2. Alex is a typically spoiled rich kid who has been raised in England with the knowledge of his lineage, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect that the Rovenian government would choose to reinstate the monarchy. Alex comes across as a confused, angry young man who only wants his old life back. The use of present tense, at first minorly irritating, became a plot device that brought the tragic surprise to the surface in complex, truthful ways. Alex is a sympathetic character, and the author does a credible job bringing him to life and making us understand his needs as he grows to accept his destiny.

This is the best book I have read in like a year. Alex/Alexei and the problems he faces are so real. You feel like you are right there with him. I hope there's going to be a sequel. I want to know what happens to Alexei and Sophy. Bring Sophy Back, Ms. Wyatt! I recommend this book to anyone who wants a good read that will almost break your heart.

Wyatt's book takes a completely realistic look at the life of a prince. Alex Varenhoff has always known he was royalty -- his grandfather was the last in a long line of kings of Rovenia (a fictional former Soviet country). However, the monarchy was overthrown years ago (Think Anastasia). Now, Rovenia has decided to reinstate the monarchy, and 16-year-old Alex is next in line for the throne! Having become used to the ordinary life of a British commoner, Alex is none to thrilled with having to move into a dank Rovenian castle, take Rovenian history lessons with a sour-faced Baron deBatz, or be called Prince Alexei. But there are some advantages, including his friendship with Sophy, his new publicist's daughter, and a romance with the beautiful Princess Isabella. I think fans of THE PRINCESS DIARIES would probably enjoy this book if they're into the royalty thing. However, people who did *not* like PRINCESS DIARIES may prefer RAISING THE GRIFFIN because it is more realistic. A winner!

There seems to be a wave of royalty books for teenagers right now, most of which play for laughs. Wyatt comes at the subject from the opposite side, giving us a prince rather than a princess, and one who must seriously consider what his role means to the impoverished country that needs him.

Alex Varenhoff grew up in England, knowing that his family once ruled Rovenia, a former Soviet state. Now that Rovenia is independent once more, they call on Alex's dad to return as king. That makes Alex Prince Alexei and turns his life upside down. Alexei tries but is soon overwhelmed by the demands of public life. Let astray by a publicity seeking princess, his bad behavior puts his life in danger.

RAISING THE GRIFFIN is a suspenseful, thought-provoking look at what it's really like to be a prince.

Okay so im 15 and this book is the ONLY book i have ever been able to sit down and actually really read the whole thing. I did it in one day. that right there says this book is amazing the fact that i actually sat down and read it all. The first think i said to myself when i was done is that this book needs to be in a movie, expanded.

Oh my god i am so glad i read this book.I mean the book was so great> She got to meet the boy of her dreams so coool! Well Peace out< Meghan

This book was awesome! I couldn't tear myself away from the book once I started to read it. While I read I actually started to feel nervous along with the character Samantha. This book is riveting.

A word to the author: Please continue the series! This is a wonderful series and I'm hoping that it will continue. Also could you please do a follow-up of this book. Say like, the summer vacation they went on to Catalia!

This book is full of a young girls romance with a prince it is one of the best books i have ever read and if you like this one check out the other 2 in this sereis THEY ROCK just as much!!!!!!!!

Overall A Royal Kiss was pretty good. It shows you how anormal girl can meet the boy of her dreams. Although that is a greatconcept I think the book was a little too predictable in showing this. Its shows you the ups and downs of relationships and always keeps you interested. I think this book would be very good for summer reading and I hope you enjoy the book!

Ruby found a baby dragon and took care of it until someone came to her. Dragon told her that baby dragon should be care of its mother.

An extra exciting story, telling, that you should never do something when it could hurt something.

It was a very good book and I really liked the end. It was so sweet. I think other kids would like to read this. The Jewel Kingdom is a very good series, if you like princesses.

Princess Roxanne finds an egg and it hatches. Inside is a cute baby dragon. The adventure really gets exciting when Roxanne doesn't listen to her own dragon, Hapgood, who tries to warn her. This is a great book!

Roxanne, the Ruby Princess, finds a dragon egg and the dragon turns out to be playful. Roxanne feeds Sassy, the dragon, from a bottle that her sister, Demetra, the Diamond Princess, gave her. All of her sisters love Sassy. One day the dragon gets terribly sick. Will he get better? Read this book to find out!

This book has more pictures in it for the Ruffian fan. It is not as comprehensive as others about Ruffian, but does contain the pictures that the other books lack. You will enjoy this small, but packed with information volume about Ruffian. It is a must for any Ruffian lover, or collector.

On of the best non-story type nonfiction books on her. Tons of pictures and unique and rare info, beautifully well-written, a must for ruffian fan collectors.

This book allows you to get to know Ruffian throughout her career and shows how those around her loved her.

This true story about a horse who didn't know the meaning of giving up touches your heart and soul. I hope to give my children the opportunity to read this fantastic story

This book is totally amazing! Ruffian is truly a great horse! She is really " tragic perfection"

Wow! What a great book. The Runaway Princess by Kate Coombs is a fun and exciting read. Meet Princess Margaret (Meg) of Greeve, the princess who didn't want to be a princess, Cam, one of her best friends, and apprentice gardener, and Dilly, Meg's other best friend, who also happens to be her maid. The story begins with Meg's father announcing that whoever rids the land of the three evils, The Dragon, The Witch, and The Bandits, shall win first place, the princess's hand and marriage, and become heir of the Kingdom of Greeve. Obviously, Meg is appalled, and tries furiously to end this long tradition. But, unfortunately her parents refuse, and lock Meg in a tower. This is definitely not the result Meg was looking for, and she wants out! With the help of several helpful persons, such as Cam and Dilly, she gets out. Thus begins the tale of the Runaway princess. Meg must travel the kingdom in hopes to win the contest herself; negotiate with a stubborn witch with a passion for amphibians (and the men they used to be), a baby dragon that comes under her care, a wizard in disguise, several nasty princes, a troop of bandits, and all the while pretend she is still in the tower! This book is similar to books by Gail Carson Levine such as Ella Enchanted, or, Fairest, though maybe for younger readers. I would recommend this book for ages 8-11, above that some of the writing may seem a bit easy to read, and less complex, which is not necessarily a bad thing. I loved this book, and would recommend it to anyone. It is a pleasurable read, one you would open on a rainy day, and not put down until you're done. The writing is enchanting, comical, and very descriptive, though at times it may seem a bit simple. But, the plot is witty and quickly changing. The end is sweet, if not a surprising, definitely not what I expected. As quoted from the end of the book, "Once upon a time, there was a princess who knew she meant for more than twirling her tresses and swooning." Enjoy!

I adored this novel. I have read dozens of books that have redone the classical fairy tale setting, but this is the best one I have ever had the pleasure to open. Coombs has a simple, yet elegant and easy to read writing style. The character interaction is hilarious, and the heroin is very likable and strong. Wonderfully done Kate Coombs! I hope there is a sequel.

RUNAWAY PRINCESS isn't your grandma's fairy tale. The princess in the tower? Yeah. She has no intention of staying there. And all those witches, bandits and dragons? Misunderstood. Kate Coombs gives us a fresh take on the well-known fairy tale world with clever touches, endearing characters, and unique twists, all adding up to a delightful and entertaining read.

Following closely on the heels of Coombs' lovely debut book THE SECRET KEEPER, RUNAWAY PRINCESS does not disappoint. It's sure to become a favorite of discerning readers everywhere.

This book was awsome! In my English class we had to pick a book for pleasure reading. I choose this one and believe me, it was PLEASURE reading. I couldn't put it down! The characters are so real and you find yourself rooting for them. This book is a clever twist on any fairy tale you've ever known. You'll find yourself laughing out loud and counting down the minutes till you can read it again. The twists, turns and halarious plot and characters make "The Runaway Princess" a must read!

Kate Coombs has done it again! Once again this gifted author takes a fairy-tale world and stands it on its head. Princess Meg stands up to her father and the Kingdom of Greeve will never be the same again. All the ingredients for a delicious romp through a world of wicked witches and fantabulous frogs await those clever enough to pick up this story. A winner!

If you have read the other books in E.D. Baker's seires the Frog Princess then you will love this book. It gives you a better discription of what happened durning Grassina's childhood. And if you are just starting this series then you would like to read this book first because it explains a lot of the relationships that are skippped over in the other books.

This book was the best one out of the series. It's about Grassina instead of Emma... It starts out slower,but gets so good!

I ordered this book w/out even giving it a second thought, cuz the series is such a great one, and to find that its a prologue was even better!!!! i can't get enough of E.D. Baker's words!!!!!!!!!! + the covers are really amazing (i know... i know!!! never judge a book by it's cover!!!)

The Salamander Spell was a great book! Just make sure that you read the other 4 books, first, so you understand everything.

No, this is not a story about Princess Emeralda and Prince Eadric.

This new story, which is a prequel to THE TALES OF THE FROG PRINCESS, visits Princess Emeralda's aunt....as a teenager!

Living in Greater Greensward with her mother, father, and sister, Chartreuse, Grassina is not expected to do much. Chartreuse was first born, which means she will be both Queen and Green Witch. All Grassina is expected to do is to marry a prince.

When the King gives their mother a bouquet of flowers the family curse turns her into a nasty hag and also disperses of her Green Witch title. Now Greater Greensward has no Green Witch to protect them.

While doing a meaningless task for her mother, Grassina hears word of werewolves invading towns and nearing Greater Greensward. With no Green Witch, who will stop them? Its up to magic-less Grassina, runaway Haywood, and a snake named Pippa to save the kingdom.

As a fan of THE TALES OF THE FROG PRINCESS, i thought this was a good prequel. The book reads smoothly and gives Grassina more personality than that which we already knew. If you read the books released before THE SALAMANDER SPELL you know the outcome, but nevertheless it's a good read.

Reviewed by: Jeremey

Excellent for tying literature to mathematics. Children love these books and so do I!

This whole series of books is wonderful. The story line for a middle school level is somewhat elementary, but the students still LOVE them. They remember the terms and even bring them up during lessons. I think even at the middle school levels, the kids really like being read to and these books ,as silly as they seem when read at that level, help solidify these key geometry concepts in a fun kind of way. They take about 10-15 minutes to read out loud. Highly recommend!

My nine-year-old loved the earlier books in the Sir Cumference series, and was excited to hear that a new one was available. He enjoyed it thoroughly, for both the story and the math content. This series of books ranks near the top of his favorites list.

The students enjoy this series of books and learn something along the way!

Back in the days of Camelot, people knew geometry, but they learned it in adventures instead of textbooks. Per of Ameter played a game created by the Countess Areana in which they figured the outside edges and inner pieces of shapes made with the same size squares. Their skill at this game allowed them to solve several mysteries on the Isle of Immeter through a few escapes, as the island was protected by a sea dragon. Finally Per solved all the puzzles, and the sea dragon delivered a locked from the Countess Areana giving Per ownership of the island. When the two children returned from their adventure, Sir Cumference named the measurement of the outside edge of any flat, straight sided shape perimeter, after Per, who now was the Lady of Immeter. The inside of the shapes was called Area, after the Countess Areana who designed all the puzzles they solved. And so, as you will know if you have read this book, this is a cute, abbreviated account of the true way geometry really evolved.

A handy chart on the last page explains in mathematical terms the formulas described in the book.

As a former Lynvet, I attended many of the ganes highlighted in the book. Additionally I knew so many of the players mentioned who were a few years older than my friends and I. A few even were our coaches as we moved through the Lynvet organization. These flawed heroes modeled some risky behavior that many of us idolized. Consequently some of us followed in their troubled footsteps. And yet, the strength of character that they also modeled motivated recovery as well. The quasi-hero, Larry Kelly was responsible for many success stories including my own for which I could never repay him. I say a prayer of gratitude to him and all the fascinating old friends that the author recalls.
Jim Matthews, M.Ed. [...]

As an ex-Lynvet player and Annopolis grad, I thouroughly enjoyed "State of Grace." Mr. Timberg successfully brings you back to a much more difficult, but, in many ways, a simpler time. He provides vivid and colorful descriptions of his teamates and the challeges that they faced while entering adulthood.

"State of Grace" is a timeless book about young men living difficult lives, by today's standards, and through football and comraderie find their ways through life. I recommend this book to everyone, but especially to teenagers and their parents.

This memoir will never be dated. The son of a Ziegfield girl and an aspiring songwriter Timberg's book has you rooting for him from the beginning as challenge after challenge threaten to keep him down. He pulls himself into manhood and takes us with him in this superbly crafted work. His goal, Annapolis, is preceded by two years of trying to obtain an appointment. During this interregnum, he joins a sandlot football team made up of good, sometimes errant, boy/men wondering about destinies. A page turner.
S.D. Segalini
Falmouth MA

This book will appeal to anyone who grew up in the 50's/60's, especially in the New York area. The football aspect is a thread; the focus is on coming of age and the changes in society that took place in that era.

It was a personal bonus to me in that I knew the Stuyvesant High School folks mentioned in the book. They were a special breed, dealing with long commutes to school & practices while succeeding in one of the most academically challenging high schools in the U. S.

As I came to know the Lynvets in State of Grace, I found myself caring about each and every one of them while rooting for them to succeed in the games of football and life.

Robert Timberg comes across as an uncomplaining, grateful warm human being who appreciates the hardships of his life for the lessons they taught him, and the good things that happened to him and his buddies for the rewards they brought for trying. Unlike Frank McCourt , who, in "Angela's Ashes" and "Tis" constantly complains about his life growing up and shows very little appreciation for the good life that this country has given him. He should take a lesson from Timberg, whose book is equally as good, who loves his country and his fellow man.

It was wonderful to read about the bond between the Lynvets and the competitions that helped almost everyone to mature to his potential.

Despite a surface knowledge of football I thoroughly enjoyed "State of Grace", and the plays are so well described that it doesn't take much familiarty with the game to get involved and root for the Lynvets.

I highly recomment reading this book.

I. C. Lefferts - Litchfield, CT

The second in a series of four (so far). This book has more depth to it than others you might compare it to (Princess Diaries, Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging, etc). The narrator, Calypso Kelly, is an American born girl who's mother has forced her to attend a British boarding school.

Calypso discovers at the begining of this book, to her horror, that she does not share her room with anyone this term that she had hoped for. In fact, she is sharing with the dreaded Honey O'Hare, who has made every year for Calypso miserable, since Calypso's mother has forced her to attend St. Augustine's.

Also sharing the room is Portia, a new character who could be a friend, could be an enemy. And plays the role of both in Calypso's mind. Portia (now that Star has quit fencing) is the only other girl who is on Calypso's level, fencing wise. On the other hand, she had pizza with Prince Freddie. (uh-oh, competition)

In this book Calypso is essentially stripped of her friends, without them in her dorm room and with them picking up other interests besides those they share with her. It is a well done portrayl of what happens when friends start to grow up. It definately reminded me of some of my middle school experiences.

I love all of the british slang that is in the book, and how Calypso walks the line between American and British. A very fun read without being overly fluffy.

I wouldn't reccomend this for younger readers because it does have some coarse language in it, 14 the youngest, 15 is probably the target audience.

Calypso is back...after a summer in America with Star and Georgina, she returns to St. Augustine in the middle of two text romances: Prince Freddie and Billy! However, she finds out she has to share a room with evil Honey O'Hare and aloof rich girl Portia, while Georgina and Star get to room together with a real princess, Indie. Calypso is off to a rough start. All her friends drop out of latin, leaving her alone. She feels like Star and Georgina are drifting away from her....but she makes friends with Indie and Portia, and everything goes better. Then she makes a mistake and alienates herself from everyone. Freddie isn't texting her, and Billy is acting weird. Is Freddie secretly seeing Portia? Will everyone get to go to the royal ball with Freddie except for her? And why is Honey now the only person who will talk to her? Will Calypso get her friends back, get her guy, and be able to keep up her fencing?

I read this book in 3 days. What a blast. The British girls really know boys -- but it's the girls who are so hilarious. Don't miss this one this summer.

This book will make you laugh out loud. But it's funny in this British, sophisticated, sublime way. Over the top, yet understated. Honey O'Hare has to be the most outrageous mean girl ever. I just love Calypso. Can't say enough about this book.

Fourteen-year-old Calypso Kelly (otherwise known as "The American Freak) has never felt as if she fit in with the rich, British girls who attend school with her at St. Augustine's English Boarding School. Sure, she's got a few close friends, but some of the other students are SO stuck-up. Like Honey O'Hare, Calypso's worst enemy, and dorm mate for the year. Honey has despised Calypso from the very first day she arrived at St. Augustine's, and has been out to saboatage her forever. Like it's Calypso's fault that she's more than a year younger than every other girl in her grade, and she doesn't have as much expendable cash. Anyway, Calypso has been flirting with two very fit (hot) boys over text messages all summer. And when Honey finds out, she decides to ruin the relationships that Calypso has created. Including the one with her boy toy Prince Freddie. Unfortunately, Calypso has no idea what's going on, and when she turns to her friends for help, she realizes that they're too caught up with their new pal, a real life Princess, to care about her petty problems. This is sure to be one super tough semester at St. Augustine's.

Tyne O'Connell truly has the writing chops to pen stories about a group of rich, snooty teenage girls attending an ultra-chic private school. Her characters are hilarious, and truly bring the story to life, what with their catty viciousness and obsessiveness over how they look. Once again, Calypso and the crazy predicaments will keep readers on the edge of their seats laughing out loud while reading this book, and for days after. I can't wait for the next installment about Calypso and her crazy friends, as this book leaves quite a cliffhanger. A must read!

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper