The Barefoot Book of Knights

by John Matthews, Giovanni Manna (Illustrator)

Not just anyone can be a knight, and this spell-binding collection of action-packed stories from around the world will show you why. From the familiar court of King Arthur to the distant realm of Prince Vladimir of Kiev, this enticing collection reveals that being a good knight is harder than it may seem. Not only are a brave heart and a strong arm required, but it is also necessary to know your own weaknesses, learn to cooperate with others and even, at times, have a good sense of humor!
Giovanni Manna brings his warm, colorful characters to these adventurous tales that are sure to delight young would-be knights across the land.

Genres: Childrens, Medieval, Fairy Tales

80 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

John Matthews is an historian, folklorist and author. He has been a full time writer since 1980 and has produced over ninety books on the Arthurian Legends and Grail Studies, as well as short stories and a volume of poetry. He has devoted much of the past thirty years to the study of Arthurian Traditions and myth in general. His best known and most widely read works are ‘Pirates’ (Carlton/Atheneum), No 1 children’s book on the New York Times Review best-seller list for 22 weeks in 2006, ‘The Grail, Quest for Eternal Life’ (Thames & Hudson, 1981) ‘The Encyclopaedia of Celtic Wisdom’ (Element, 1994) and ‘The Winter Solstice’ (Quest Books, 1999) which won the Benjamin Franklin Award for that year. His book ‘Celtic Warrior Chiefs’ was a New York Public Library recommended title for young people.

Reviews

[Terri]

Stories of knight's adventures and lessons from all over the world. Amazing narration and storytelling

[Cinder]

Although this book is aimed at children, I had an absolute blast reading it as an adult! The illustrations by Giovanni Manna are breathtaking, and I truly appreciated the gentle, unhurried pace of each tale. Folktales have always held a special place in my heart, and when you add a dash of chivalry to the mix, I’m one happy girl!

[Heather]

We actually listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator, Anthony Head, did a wonderful job. We enjoyed the stories from around the world. It was nice that each story had a particular character trait or moral to it. My boys said the theme song was annoying, but other than that they listened quietly the entire time.

[Marilyn]

For those who love Barefoot Books, this volume will be a welcome addition to the bookshelf. In family-friendly language, it tells stories of knights who are brave, but also kind and generous and smart. And it's not just King Arthur. There are stories from Japan, Persia, and more. The beautiful illustrations enhance the narration.

[Barbara Lovejoy]

LOVE this book!!! The stories are wonderful and the Giovanni Manna illustrations are, too.

[Friend of Pixie]

Logan loved this. We had just finished reading "The Making of a Knight," so he already knew about pages and squires. In this book, a young page and his companions listen to stories told by the (unrealistically) kind man in charge of them. Each story illustrates a knightly quality, such as quick thinking, kindness, cooperation, and honor. As the person who loaned it to us said, it was nice to read a book about knights that focused less on the fighting and more on chivalry. I also liked that each story was from a different country and not just northern European countries either.

[Catarina]

A very cute book filled with Knight tales about honour, commitment and doing what's right. Barefoot Books have been leaving a very good impression on me. They have beautiful illustrations and very interesting stories.

[sarah]

I love Barefoot Books, and this one is especially good. All three kids enjoyed it and so did Robert and I.

[Tori]

Great book about all things "knight." Not exclusive to European tradition- in true Barefoot Style. :)http://BarefootTori.com

[Donna-Lee]

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[Amelia]

My boy (4 and half) loves this! And I've loved reading it to him aloud! Great pictures for him to look at while getting used to longer tales! Just right!