The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True

As a member of King Arthur's court, Sir Gawain is expected to be courteous and honourable. Unfortunately, despite his faultless record in tournaments, Sir Gawain has not quite been living up to expectations. When the mysterious Green Knight shows up at court during Christmas celebrations, Sir Gawain finds himself avowed to him and must keep his word despite the fact that it appears to mean certain death.

This is the third book in Gerald Morris' The knights' tales series, although it is the first one that I have had the pleasure to read. Based on the 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The adventures of Sir Gawain the True makes the tale easily understandable to young students, which is not a characteristic of the original show more if I recall my university English courses correctly. The core of the classic story is kept - the Green Knight's challenge, the woman with her sash, the magic - and the addition of modern humor and charming illustrations certainly accentuate its entertainment value.

I got a kick out of King Arthur as portrayed by Morris: he is determined to have his knights behave honourably and is very patient with them, but is occasionally exasperated. His reactions to his knights' lack of courtesy were often humourous, and his acknowledgments of improvement act as subtle cues to the reader that appropriate behaviour was displayed. After all, adventure aside, many Arthurian tales have morals and lessons within them and this version is no different. However, I didn't feel bonked over the head with a moral, and certainly Sir Gawain wasn't perfect from the beginning but manifested thoughtful and gradual change throughout the story.

The tale itself is a lot of fun, with dwarves, reclusive lords, and jousting all coming into play. Morris' descriptions of period vocabulary, such as damsel and vow, are provided in the text in such a way that they provide information, history, and humour without really bringing the reader out of the story. As a fan of both language and history, I certainly appreciated his incorporation of both into the narrative.

I am hesitant to discuss Aaron Renier's illustrations very much because I read an electronic galley on a Kindle and some of the drawings were split into two, which certainly detracted from my enjoyment of them. However, I did like what I saw despite the fact that Renier drew the knights and King Arthur as older than I envisioned them in my head, which took me aback a bit. That is my only critique (which should be taken with a grain of salt as ages and appearances were never discussed in the text) as the style and content of the illustrations were delightful.

Morris managed to pack a legendary tale into a little over 100 pages which in itself takes great skill, to say nothing of the humour and charm of the text and illustrations. Although I've not read the previous two installments of this series, I will be seeking them out and looking forward to get my hands on them as well as any future books in The knights' tales. show less

In the latest installment of The Knights’ Tales, Gerald Morris turns the story of Gawain and the Green Knight into a lesson on the importance of chivalry; specifically, being courteous.

I realize this doesn’t make a great deal of sense. However, in my humble opinion, the story of Gawain didn’t make any sense to start with, regardless of the countless drivel that has been produced under the guise of literary criticism (I am not a fan of Arthurian legends or fantasies) so this could only be an improvement. Morris manages to smooth over the *cough* less appropriate nuances of the tale and create a funny story with adventure, interesting characters, and a legendary flavor. It even makes a weird kind of sense, which is more than I can show more say for the original story. If you’re going to retell Gawain, especially as a beginning chapter book, this is as good as it’s going to get! I doubt any kids will become more polite as a result of reading this tale, but they will enjoy a fun read and maybe even go digging for more Arthurian tales.

It’s still a weird, weird, story though.

Verdict: I wouldn’t buy this one on its own, but if you’re doing the Knights’ Tales, this is the next in the series and you’ll need it. I really, really loved Sir Lancelot the Great and Sir Givret the Short and I’m looking forward to another…more conventional story along those lines.

ISBN: 9780547418551; Published April 18, 2011; ARC provided by publisher at ALA Midwinter; Purchased for my library. show less

Bottom line: Super funny, engaging, and it all comes together in the end. Love love love it for third and fourth graders.

Plot: Sir Gawain the Undefeated is a great knight and a nice guy, but he's a little rude. What could make Sir Gawain appreciate the importance of good manners? Maybe the threat of losing his head? Hardly a simple morality tale, this awesome little book explores the importance of promises, of taking vows, and what it means to be a good friend.

An excellent retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - written for children! I picked this up at the library on a lark as part of my December Book Club selection. I didn't expect much of it, but as the old saying goes, you can't judge a book by it's cover, and this comely edition proves just that. The age old story, that I am well familiar with, is renewed. Emphasizing the lessons of the older translations in a way that recounts the story in modern english while written for children, without speaking down to it's audience, this book is one that I will seek out again to re-read to my older children.

I didn't think, though, that this retelling deserves a full five stars because of the slight change that was made by the author with show more the ending. Otherwise, I loved this edition. show less

Entertaining and funny. Great way for kids to get acquainted with stories of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. It seems these tales also have a nice message for the kiddos about character.

My thoughts:
This was my first Knight's Tales book and I loved it. The story was well told and entertaining. It is a great read for young people and would be a super read-aloud for a classroom teacher. This series would be a fantastic enhancement to any unit on King Arthur and his times.

The lesson is about courtesy, courage, honor, and the value of friendship. It is told in a way that is humorous and captivating. A great way to share the tale of the Green Knight and Sir Gawain with young readers and a fun retelling for the King Arthur fan in us all.

This story will capture the heart of young and old readers alike!

Sir Gawain the Undefeated is riding comfortably upon his horse when he hears the shrieks of a damsel in distress. A dragon with fiery breath has captured the fair maiden. Sir Gawain fights off the dragon, saving the damsel. No longer in distress, Sir Gawain decides the she no longer needs his assistance and begins to ride off. The damsel is so thankful that she wants to give Sir Gawain her treasured green sash. He refuses to accept. She then offers a kiss on the check, simply to say thank you. Again, Sir Gawain refuses and rides off, leaving the damsel where he found her. This is the precursor to the rest of the story.

In King Author’s court, he requires his knights to be comfortable iron suits and sharp swords, just like any knight. show more They must also be courteous and respectful while doing their knightly duties. After relating the dragon fight, at dinner that night, Sir Gawain is flabbergasted to learn of his rudeness. The King thought it rude Sir Gawain refused the damsel’s gift of thanks not once, but twice. Shameful knight behavior.

Later, at the Christmas Feast, the Green Knight crashes the party to challenge a knight, specifically Sir Gawain, to a strange dual. Sir Gawain is to go first. He swings and knocks the Green Knight’s head clean off his neck. The Green Knight will strike Sir Gawain, in the same fashion, in exactly one year. As the year goes by, Sir Gawain and the King decide the Green Knight must have used magic. How else could his head continue to speak after it was severed from his neck? King Arthur and his knights leave the kingdom in search of the great Merlin the Enchanter. If anyone can help Sir Gawain keep his head attached, it is Merlin.

While on the trip, the King and his knights run into several interesting characters on their way to their final destination: Green Chapel. Here, Sir Gawain will face the Green Knight for what may be his last challenge. On their trip, the King and his knights will run into a strange dwarf, sorcerers, and a stubborn nobleman, but not everyone is who they profess to be. In the end, King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table will have had their abilities to fight and their manners both tested. One of those two will prove to be the better weapon. Reading the story and meeting these characters is so much fun, revealing any more would ruin it for everyone else.

Sir Gawain the True is the third knight to get his own story in Mr. Morris’ Knight Tales Series. First was Sir Lancelot the Great and then Sir Givret the Short. As with the first two editions, the story is witty, fun and a great addition to reluctant readers’ libraries. The sentences and words are at the 8 to 10 year-old-level, though occasionally there will be a word that might require a dictionary. The chapters are short and fast to read. The pacing is such that it is difficult to become bored at any one point.

This is a fun, short, chapter book boys will love to read. The illustrations are line drawings and enhance the story. The fight scene collage is especially funny. Speaking of fighting, none of the fight scenes are gory or gruesome. The sword fights in the pages of Sir Gawain the True are G-rated. Mothers will love the story for the King’s emphasis on courtesy, respect, honoring oaths, and the value of friendships.

Note: received from netgalley, courtesy of the publisher show less