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The Knighting of Sir Kaye
Kaye is an ordinary boy who likes exploring and dreams of being a legendary knight like his father. But good knights are hard to find in Knox since the king died. When the new queen knights Kaye for doing a brave deed to help another person, he gets his wish a lot sooner than he expected. Being a knight is a dream come true for Kaye...but he's got a lot to live up to. Can he hold his own against all the other knights who hate him? Can he outwit the terrible Sir Melchor and defeat him in the deeds-at-arms competition that all knights in the kingdom must participate in? Can he help the queen save her kingdom...even a little bit?
Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2012
1 person is currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
Don M. Winn
31 books15 followersDon M. Winn is the multi-award-winning author of twelve picture books and five children's novels—The Knighting of Sir Kaye, The Lost Castle Treasure, Legend of the Forest Beast, The Eldridge Conspiracy, and Mystery of the White Knight. Don's picture books include The Higgledy-Piggledy Pigeon; Superhero; Twitch the Squirrel and the Forbidden Bridge; Shelby the Cat; Space Cop Zack, Protector of the Galaxy; and many others.
Parents and educators know that when stories are fun and engaging, kids spend more time reading. But what if the books you choose for your children or students not only entertain but also teach? Imagine finding stories that combine the life lessons of Aesop's Fables with the appealing characters and compelling adventures of beloved classics. Don Winn's award-winning picture books are just such a find.
Don Winn's Sir Kaye the Boy Knight series, starring the young knight Sir Kaye Balfour, is full of fun, exciting adventures that appeal to even the most reluctant reader. Kaye's beloved but absent father is his inspiration, and he strives to meet challenges with the values his chivalrous father taught him. His best pal, Reggie, who is dyslexic and also struggles with low self-esteem, often surprises himself by his ability to make meaningful contributions to those around him. The Sir Kaye series is unique because it features characters learning to meet life's challenges without magic or superpowers. These young heroes deal with internal questions and uncertainty as they work through the events they face, and each one finds his own way. The books are fun and enjoyed by any reader, but they are particular favorites of kids who need heroes dealing with difficulties like their own: dyslexia, learning challenges, absentee parents, being targets of bullying, or struggling with low self-esteem.
Don has been writing for over 20 years. A dyslexic reader and writer himself, Don works tirelessly to encourage struggling young readers to embrace their love of stories and to keep on reading!
Don Winn lives in Round Rock, Texas with his wife.
Find out more at www.donwinn.com
Parents and educators know that when stories are fun and engaging, kids spend more time reading. But what if the books you choose for your children or students not only entertain but also teach? Imagine finding stories that combine the life lessons of Aesop's Fables with the appealing characters and compelling adventures of beloved classics. Don Winn's award-winning picture books are just such a find.
Don Winn's Sir Kaye the Boy Knight series, starring the young knight Sir Kaye Balfour, is full of fun, exciting adventures that appeal to even the most reluctant reader. Kaye's beloved but absent father is his inspiration, and he strives to meet challenges with the values his chivalrous father taught him. His best pal, Reggie, who is dyslexic and also struggles with low self-esteem, often surprises himself by his ability to make meaningful contributions to those around him. The Sir Kaye series is unique because it features characters learning to meet life's challenges without magic or superpowers. These young heroes deal with internal questions and uncertainty as they work through the events they face, and each one finds his own way. The books are fun and enjoyed by any reader, but they are particular favorites of kids who need heroes dealing with difficulties like their own: dyslexia, learning challenges, absentee parents, being targets of bullying, or struggling with low self-esteem.
Don has been writing for over 20 years. A dyslexic reader and writer himself, Don works tirelessly to encourage struggling young readers to embrace their love of stories and to keep on reading!
Don Winn lives in Round Rock, Texas with his wife.
Find out more at www.donwinn.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 11, 2018
•audiobook•
An adventure for young boys who dream of becoming a knight!
I liked this tale from the perspective of a knight’s bff. Their adventure starts while they are mapping a forest and save an important lad. It’s very imaginative and wholesome with a dash of a bully villain.
I first read the preview after seeing this book on Audible and it was interesting. How often parents prime their children to take the right classes and courses and schmooze the right class for better opportunities. Young Reginald Stork wants to do it on his own terms and in his own time. However, he accomplishes the goal faster and better than his parents’ laid out plans would have!
Enjoyable and recommended for young readers!
An adventure for young boys who dream of becoming a knight!
I liked this tale from the perspective of a knight’s bff. Their adventure starts while they are mapping a forest and save an important lad. It’s very imaginative and wholesome with a dash of a bully villain.
I first read the preview after seeing this book on Audible and it was interesting. How often parents prime their children to take the right classes and courses and schmooze the right class for better opportunities. Young Reginald Stork wants to do it on his own terms and in his own time. However, he accomplishes the goal faster and better than his parents’ laid out plans would have!
Enjoyable and recommended for young readers!
October 9, 2017
I loved the book because it is adventurous.This book is definitely a page turner that is exciting until the very end. I recommend this book for fifth through six graders who enjoy adventures and Knights. I think this book is like Hank the cow dog. This book is about two friends saving Knox.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2017
Combined audio book review of books 1 & 2: And now for something completely different! I started this multiple award winning series last year by reading (and LOVING) the third book in this series, The Legend of the Forest Beast. Then recently, when I saw that author Don Winn was looking for reviewers of the audiobook versions, I jumped at the chance to get the backstories of Kaye and his friends.
In book one of the series, The Knighting of Sir Kaye, readers are introduced to the narrator of the book, Reggie. Through Reggie, readers are treated to Don Winn's wonderfully descriptive writing and figurative writing. Winn provides a visual of Meg, Kaye's little sister, that is truly memorable. And Reggie, who is very motivated by food, enters a village and says, "a really good smell drifted across my way and said hello to my nose, which made my stomach so jealous that it growled."
Of course, through Reggie, readers are also introduced to the namesake of the the series, Kaye. There are some great lessons, such as when Kaye is struggling with confidence, his worthiness, and his lack of preparedness, he is told, "your father is . . . teaching you to be a knight in a way that's right for you." The storyline reinforces to young readers that it's okay to be unique (like being a knitting knight). Book one has a nice, satisfying resolution that sets-up for book two.
In book two, The Lost Castle Treasure, the great lessons continue to be taught, and bullying is a stronger theme as Reggie and Kaye have new adventures -- and adversaries. Kaye is a great model for dealing with bullies and shows the importance of not reacting to teasing and bullying. And where in book one it was only hinted, in book two readers learn more about Reggie and why he hates schooling. These scenes are so well-written it is painful to feel Reggie's frustrations. And happily, Winn continues to use figurative language to make his scenes vivid. For example, in describing a storm, Reggie says, "I heard the thunder outside shouting at the rain, but the thick walls of the castle made it sound more grumbly than angry." That's good stuff and may even inspire young writers.
The audiobooks are all narrated by Stephen H. Marsden, who does an admirable job of voicing the various male characters, though like many narrators, some of his female characters aren't as strong. He successfully expresses the many emotions of the characters and the many moods of the story. There were a few pronunciations that caught my ear (familiar -- 'fermiliar') and his presentation manner seemed geared more towards younger readers, which may be less attractive to the higher age range of the intended audience.
I highly recommend this series, which is ideal for both reluctant and motivated independent readers (ages 9-12), and I think it would make a great choice for classroom/library/home read-aloud time. You can read my review of book three, Legend of the Forest Beast, and a little birdie told me we can expect to see the final book in the series, The Eldridge Conspiracy, in June, 2017! Hooray!
Thank you to the author for providing me audiobooks in exchange for my honest opinion -- the only kind I give. Full review and more features on http://bit.ly/2mI77RI
In book one of the series, The Knighting of Sir Kaye, readers are introduced to the narrator of the book, Reggie. Through Reggie, readers are treated to Don Winn's wonderfully descriptive writing and figurative writing. Winn provides a visual of Meg, Kaye's little sister, that is truly memorable. And Reggie, who is very motivated by food, enters a village and says, "a really good smell drifted across my way and said hello to my nose, which made my stomach so jealous that it growled."
Of course, through Reggie, readers are also introduced to the namesake of the the series, Kaye. There are some great lessons, such as when Kaye is struggling with confidence, his worthiness, and his lack of preparedness, he is told, "your father is . . . teaching you to be a knight in a way that's right for you." The storyline reinforces to young readers that it's okay to be unique (like being a knitting knight). Book one has a nice, satisfying resolution that sets-up for book two.
In book two, The Lost Castle Treasure, the great lessons continue to be taught, and bullying is a stronger theme as Reggie and Kaye have new adventures -- and adversaries. Kaye is a great model for dealing with bullies and shows the importance of not reacting to teasing and bullying. And where in book one it was only hinted, in book two readers learn more about Reggie and why he hates schooling. These scenes are so well-written it is painful to feel Reggie's frustrations. And happily, Winn continues to use figurative language to make his scenes vivid. For example, in describing a storm, Reggie says, "I heard the thunder outside shouting at the rain, but the thick walls of the castle made it sound more grumbly than angry." That's good stuff and may even inspire young writers.
The audiobooks are all narrated by Stephen H. Marsden, who does an admirable job of voicing the various male characters, though like many narrators, some of his female characters aren't as strong. He successfully expresses the many emotions of the characters and the many moods of the story. There were a few pronunciations that caught my ear (familiar -- 'fermiliar') and his presentation manner seemed geared more towards younger readers, which may be less attractive to the higher age range of the intended audience.
I highly recommend this series, which is ideal for both reluctant and motivated independent readers (ages 9-12), and I think it would make a great choice for classroom/library/home read-aloud time. You can read my review of book three, Legend of the Forest Beast, and a little birdie told me we can expect to see the final book in the series, The Eldridge Conspiracy, in June, 2017! Hooray!
Thank you to the author for providing me audiobooks in exchange for my honest opinion -- the only kind I give. Full review and more features on http://bit.ly/2mI77RI
May 7, 2014
This book was recently entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what the readers thought:
Title
Sir Kaye The Boy Knight
Bk 1 The Knighting of Sir Kaye
Author
Don M Winn
FEEDBACK
COVER 10/10
A well-designed cover. Eye-catching and fun with a strong central image. Easy-to-read fonts, perfect for the genre.
EDITING 8/10
Very well edited, tidy paragraphing. The odd sentence is a little clumsy but, other than that, no problems.
THEME 9/10
A fun book that the children really enjoyed. They loved the central characters, Reggie and Kaye, and the underlying sense of humour in the text.
The illustrations throughout the book were also enjoyed.
The children enjoyed all the adventure in the story. They felt the story was well paced and not bogged down with endless description e.g. Chapter 9, the description of the boy, Charles, on the first page, not too long but interestingly written. They also liked that the two central characters were mostly ‘nice’ to each other and ‘respected’ each other e.g. in Chapter 9, when Reggie gives advice to Kaye regarding his father.
STYLE 8/10
Easy-to-read style of writing and a nice balance between ‘character and setting description’ and ‘maintaining pace’.
The readers enjoyed learning a little history whilst they read your book e.g. the food they ate and the clothes they wore.
STATS
Of the 21 readers,
19 thought the cover was good or excellent.
20 would like to read the next book
16 felt the strongest aspect of you writing was ‘speech’.
3 felt the strongest element of your writing was ‘action’.
2 felt the strongest element of your writing was ‘describing the characters’.
4 felt the odd sentence needed rewriting.
TO SUM UP 35/40
This book was so enjoyed by all 21 of our young readers. Really, it was only the odd clumsy sentence that slightly let it down. Many of the children put in the feedback that they wanted to read the second book when it’s out! Always a good sign.
‘A fantastic, fun-filled adventure. Highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards
Title
Sir Kaye The Boy Knight
Bk 1 The Knighting of Sir Kaye
Author
Don M Winn
FEEDBACK
COVER 10/10
A well-designed cover. Eye-catching and fun with a strong central image. Easy-to-read fonts, perfect for the genre.
EDITING 8/10
Very well edited, tidy paragraphing. The odd sentence is a little clumsy but, other than that, no problems.
THEME 9/10
A fun book that the children really enjoyed. They loved the central characters, Reggie and Kaye, and the underlying sense of humour in the text.
The illustrations throughout the book were also enjoyed.
The children enjoyed all the adventure in the story. They felt the story was well paced and not bogged down with endless description e.g. Chapter 9, the description of the boy, Charles, on the first page, not too long but interestingly written. They also liked that the two central characters were mostly ‘nice’ to each other and ‘respected’ each other e.g. in Chapter 9, when Reggie gives advice to Kaye regarding his father.
STYLE 8/10
Easy-to-read style of writing and a nice balance between ‘character and setting description’ and ‘maintaining pace’.
The readers enjoyed learning a little history whilst they read your book e.g. the food they ate and the clothes they wore.
STATS
Of the 21 readers,
19 thought the cover was good or excellent.
20 would like to read the next book
16 felt the strongest aspect of you writing was ‘speech’.
3 felt the strongest element of your writing was ‘action’.
2 felt the strongest element of your writing was ‘describing the characters’.
4 felt the odd sentence needed rewriting.
TO SUM UP 35/40
This book was so enjoyed by all 21 of our young readers. Really, it was only the odd clumsy sentence that slightly let it down. Many of the children put in the feedback that they wanted to read the second book when it’s out! Always a good sign.
‘A fantastic, fun-filled adventure. Highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards
December 21, 2012
Reggie Stork was angry with his father for sending him to work in the fields as an “unjust” punishment. Reggie got mad and decided to wander off, following a river. Soon he got lost and fell into quicksand. Kaye Balfour happens to find Reggie and rescues him and the two become friends. Reggie finds out Kaye wants to be a knight like his father Sir Henry, the last good knight in Knox. Sir Henry was training Kaye, but the old king sent him to keep peace between Knox (their land) and Eldridge. He has been there for two years. The Queen of Knox is having a terrible time trying to keep her kingdom together. The King has died, Sir Henry is away and all of the knights won’t listen to her. The Queen is desperate for a hero and then she hears of twelve-year-old Kaye and his friend Reggie who just rescued another person, well, not just any person but the Queen’s own nephew, from a bunch of bandits. The Queen has an idea, but is Kaye up to the challenge?
This was an AWESOME story!It had EVERYTHING! Action, adventure, knights, a kid hero. I love how it was set in medieval times. I like reading about knights. Mr. Winn writes in a great style that makes a very exciting story that is totally appropriate for kids. Kaye was everything I like in a main character. He was brave, smart, kind and had a lot of perseverance. There are black and white illustrations in the book. I thought they were a nice addition to the story.
**NOTE I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was an AWESOME story!It had EVERYTHING! Action, adventure, knights, a kid hero. I love how it was set in medieval times. I like reading about knights. Mr. Winn writes in a great style that makes a very exciting story that is totally appropriate for kids. Kaye was everything I like in a main character. He was brave, smart, kind and had a lot of perseverance. There are black and white illustrations in the book. I thought they were a nice addition to the story.
**NOTE I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2016
What a wonderful discovery these books are! It has been my privilege to read and review the third in the series (Legend of the Forest Beast) for Lone Star Book Blog Tours (http://www.lonestarliterary.com/); however, I was compelled to start at the beginning and read the first two books in the series as well.
The Knighting of Sir Kaye is told through Reggie, who becomes Kaye's best friend in this first book. Both boys are about 12 years old, but they are quite opposite. Reggie is determined not to follow in his father's footsteps and work with sheep and wool, but Kaye is determined to become a knight like his father. What is absolutely adorable is that Kaye can knit at lightning speed, which proves to be a handy skill. And the alliteration is quite fun too: Sir Kaye the knitting knight from Knox.
Lots of teachable moments for parents and kids in terms of chivalry, respect, friendship, and the perils of greed and cheating.
***
" 'That's not what my father taught me,' Kaye said. 'He taught me to use my brains to solve problems. He said it takes more strength not to fight, especially when someone is trying to make trouble.' " ~ chapter 8
"I can't believe you defeated six of them armed only with knitting needles—how embarrassing for them." ~ chapter 13
"You showed uncommon bravery in what you did, and extraordinary ability at knitting." ~ chapter 13
"Maybe being chivalrous meant more than doing things you didn't want to do just because you had to. Sometimes being chivalrous meant making someone's life better." ~ chapter 33
The Knighting of Sir Kaye is told through Reggie, who becomes Kaye's best friend in this first book. Both boys are about 12 years old, but they are quite opposite. Reggie is determined not to follow in his father's footsteps and work with sheep and wool, but Kaye is determined to become a knight like his father. What is absolutely adorable is that Kaye can knit at lightning speed, which proves to be a handy skill. And the alliteration is quite fun too: Sir Kaye the knitting knight from Knox.
Lots of teachable moments for parents and kids in terms of chivalry, respect, friendship, and the perils of greed and cheating.
***
" 'That's not what my father taught me,' Kaye said. 'He taught me to use my brains to solve problems. He said it takes more strength not to fight, especially when someone is trying to make trouble.' " ~ chapter 8
"I can't believe you defeated six of them armed only with knitting needles—how embarrassing for them." ~ chapter 13
"You showed uncommon bravery in what you did, and extraordinary ability at knitting." ~ chapter 13
"Maybe being chivalrous meant more than doing things you didn't want to do just because you had to. Sometimes being chivalrous meant making someone's life better." ~ chapter 33
January 19, 2017
The Knighting of Sir Kaye is a family-friendly story packed with just as much adventure as life lessons. The story follows Reggie and his new friend, Kaye, as they learn about jealousy, friendship, pride, bravery, and much more. While the story is set in Medieval times, the themes and topics seen throughout are things every child can relate to. From their fears to their curiosity, Reggie and Kaye pose as great introductions to many issues children face as they go through elementary school and the rest of their lives. And while teaching these valuable lessons, the story remains light-hearted and fun throughout. This book also shows children that they do not need magic or superpowers to do great things. The characters are just normal boys with no special gifts, except maybe Kaye’s incredible knitting skills.
While the chapters are short, each feels like a small triumph to young readers, and the occasional cliffhanger will keep them hooked until the very end. The Knighting of Sir Kaye is must read for boys and girls ages 8 and up.
While the chapters are short, each feels like a small triumph to young readers, and the occasional cliffhanger will keep them hooked until the very end. The Knighting of Sir Kaye is must read for boys and girls ages 8 and up.
March 17, 2013
I loved this book - my son is reading it now and also loves it. It is a great adventure about medieval living in the Kingdom of Knox, rituals and trying to do what is right. It has good guys and bad guys, friendship, wishes and wishes that come true, humor, adventure and more. The illustrations are by Dave Allred and they are pen-style illustrations. Just enough to keep a young boy's interest and to add to the story. This is a nice clean, wholesome story and any young person would love it and be totally entertained. Anything that can keep my son entertained and keep his attention is a 5 star read for me!
I received a copy of this book directly from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book directly from the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2016
Such a great, uplifting, fun book for kids of all ages!
April 23, 2017
I enjoyed this book
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews