(3) 4-6 Mice of the Round Table series. In this third entry, Calib, a mouse of Camelot aspiring toward knighthood, and his human friend, Galahad, are lured into Morgan's underwater lair. There they build allies and discover magical secrets. In a bittersweet ending, the magic of the famous sword, grail, and mirror all come together--but Camelot falls; Arthur and Galahad depart for Avalon; and Calib, rewardingly, is left to help lead the new era.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(2) 1-3 After Sir Erec lies about slaying forty dragons to King Arthur, Merlin, and fellow Knights of the Round Table, he's sent into the past to face off against angry dinosaurs. Playing fast and loose with anachronisms, Phelan crafts a lighthearted romp with an engaging cast of characters. Pen-and-ink illustrations and intermittent comic-style sequential art bring swordplay to the forefront and keep the tone light enough for the book's young audience.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(2) YA Illustrated by Andrea Offermann. This graphic-novel retelling of a twelfth-century epic poem about young knight-errant Sir Yvain's marriage to widow Lady Laudine puts as much emphasis on Laudine's sorrow as on Yvain's adventures. It's a tempestuous counter-story that challenges perceived notions of love by examining women's roles in relationships and society. Anderson's spare narration is set against Offermann's muted tones, detailed panels, sweeping spreads, and turbulent motifs.

Reviewer: Roxanne Hsu Feldman | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Dave Phillips. Nosewise, wizard Merlin's eager dog, narrates this tale about magic, Fae, and the legendary Sword in the Stone. Nosewise loyally attends Merlin's magic lessons for apprentice Morgana, so this dog knows more than the usual canine tricks. When Merlin is kidnapped by Fae, Nosewise leaps to the rescue (with help from young Arthur). Humor and action dominate this lively middle-grade take on the legend.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) 4-6 A diverse group of misfits--Madge, Joe, Kiku, and Walter--unite at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to stop a Nazi plot as the U.S. teeters on the brink of WWII. While discovering clues connected to Arthurian legend that could help foil the Nazis, the kids each develop magical gifts, which tests their loyalty to one another. History and mythology collide a bit awkwardly in an otherwise engaging spy quest.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) 4-6 Mice of the Round Table series. Illustrated by Lindsay Carr. Still recovering from a Saxon attack (A Tail of Camelot), Camelot suddenly falls to a mysterious illness. As young mice Calib and Cecily set out on a voyage to find help, Lancelot's son Galahad seeks a cure within the fortress. Working together, the mice and their "two-legged" partners again triumph. Leung's lively retellings of Arthurian lore feature earnestly cheerful animals and children.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) 4-6 Mice of the Round Table series. Calib, a small mouse with aspirations for knighthood, and Galahad, Lancelot's son, heal old rifts, build new alliances, and reveal secret conspiracies in order to unite the forces of Camelot (both four-legged and two-legged) against Saxon invaders. Characters (especially mice) are well drawn, and the many political relationships complex. Leung weaves Arthurian legend with elements of Jacques's Redwall books in this winning series-starter.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) 1-3 Magic Tree House series. Illustrated by Sal Murdocca. This time it's Guinevere, not Merlin, who summons Jack and Annie to Camelot. They must solve a riddle, trick a band of robbers, and find a missing dragon, all to save the gravely wounded King Arthur. Another magical adventure in the popular series, this highly readable and exciting narrative is ably accompanied by numerous black-and-white illustrations.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 4-6 Complicated alliances and feuds paired with mythologies both original and Arthurian make this third time-slip novel (The Eighth Day; The Inquisitor's Mark) challenging to navigate. Thirteen-year-old "Transitioner" Jax works with sisters Addie and Evangeline to defeat the Kin, defend everyone against the Morrigan, and cope with powerful ancient treasures. Salerni satisfyingly ties up most loose ends but leaves room for more sequels.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) 4-6 Long-lost relatives kidnap one of Jax's friends and threaten his loyalties to both his mentor and liege lady. In her loosely Arthurian, time-slip fantasy world, Salerni provocatively presents an eighth day in each week that only the select ("Transitioners") can experience and use, but too many characters with myriad complications muddle the clever premise in this sequel to The Eighth Day.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) 4-6 Otherworld Chronicles series. This trilogy-ender sees King Arthur reincarnation Artie and friends search for the Holy Grail amid dragons and other fantastic beasts. The parallel-realm-via-video-game conceit lets them jump back and forth between worlds to learn secrets of their pasts. It adds up to a lot going on, but series fans who love action may find all the threads worth following.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) YA Shadow Grail series. In this series conclusion, Spirit White and her friends discover that they are reincarnated Arthurian knights and ladies (Spirit is Guinevere); acquire powerful magical weapons; and enlist former Oakhurst Academy students in order to defeat medieval villain Mordred. The mythology element becomes increasingly tedious, but the book culminates in a classic good-versus-evil battle, with Spirit courageously leading the fight.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) 4-6 Jax's discovery that he is a "Transitioner"--someone who involuntarily moves once a week between the timeline of the regular world and an alternate eight-day-week timeline--opens up a realm of secret powers, alliances, and responsibilities that stretch back to the days of King Arthur. Jax's confusion as he struggles to discern friend from foe is tangible in this original, complex adventure novel.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) 4-6 Otherworld Chronicles series. The contemporary science fiction take on Arthurian legend continues as Artie rescues Qwon from Morgaine's clutches, and new information comes to light about his own unusual origins. Omniscient narration provides welcome various perspectives on the scenes, but the heady combination of genetic experimentation, video-game magic, and medieval mythology makes it crucial that the series be read in sequence.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 4-6 In this retelling, Merlin gathers teenagers to form a new group of knights, here to pilot spacecraft to fight alien invaders. Reluctant Ben must look within himself to become the hero he's destined to be. An entertaining (if odd) mixture of Arthurian legend and science fiction, fans of Ender's Game will eat up the well-worn kids-saving-the-day trope.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Otherworld Chronicles series. Twelve-year-old Artie Kingfisher discovers through his favorite video game that he is a reincarnation of King Arthur. Contacted by Merlin, he joins a quest through a parallel world to find Excalibur. The action is slow to start and video game fans may be put off by the lack of verisimilitude, but fans of myth-inspired adventures will devour this tale.

Reviewer: Natasha Gilmore

(4) 1-3 Knights' Tales series. Illustrated by Aaron Renier. This fourth installment focuses on the adventures of Sir Balin, chronicling his deeds during the time of King Arthur's Round Table. Younger readers who don't mind the forced humor will appreciate the whimsical text and frequent black-and-white illustrations. Under the whimsy, this is a discussion on fate versus free will.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) YA Contemporary teen Lizzy Mortimer and her grandmother Bizzy, descendants of Morgan le Faye, have the ability to see death-specters of their loved ones. The tale's weaving in of Arthurian mythos is well done. Other plot twists seem superfluous, as does the book's framing device (the story is Lizzy's letter to her English teacher explaining why she should pass the class).

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Sam Hart. In graphic novel form, this volume presents the story of King Arthur, from the events leading to his birth through his final battle with Mordred. Many of the stories and characters from the Arthur mythos are included (not always in familiar form). The art uses color and shadow to good effect in depicting the sometimes gritty, sometimes mystical realm of Arthurian legend.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 1-3 Knights' Tales series. Illustrated by Aaron Renier. This third series entry focuses on the adventures of Sir Gawain, King Arthur's full-of-himself nephew and a Knight of the Round Table. There are lots of jokes (some a stretch) in the accessible text and cartoony black-and-white brush and ink illustrations. There are some things to be learned, too, about courtesy, friendship, and loyalty.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo