Happy Birthday, Good Knight

Good Knight #3

by Shelley Moore Thomas, Jennifer Plecas (Illustrator)

The much-loved Good Knight is back again . . . and it’s his birthday! His three little dragon friends want to surprise him. They try to make a cake—but all they make is a mess. A card? Another mess—glitter and glue all over the room.Then the theatrical performance is a flop.Time is running out, and the poor little dragons must find a special way to say Happy Birthday, Good Knight. They do, and it’s a good day’s fun in this perfectly pitched easy reader. Good Night, Good Knight, the first in the Good Knight series, was an ALA Notable Book and a Booklist Top 10 Easy Reader, among other honors.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fantasy, Friendship, Humor

48 pages, Hardcover

First published February 2, 2006

Reviews

[Bhargavi Balachandran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable!

[Cathy | A Case Full of Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book for early readers, but not the best I've seen.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was a really sweet look at how the thought and effort put into a gift is really important (even if it doesn't turn out as expected).

Miss 4 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute but longer easy reader about three dragons looking for help from their knight friend to get the perfect birthday gift. Can they find the perfect thing? Cute. early elementary or one on one for length.

[kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute!

[Leilani Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very cute, silly book.

[eRin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cute Good Knight book. In this one, the three little dragons are quite upset. It is the birthday of someone very special and important and they don't know what to do for him. The Good Knight suggests that they bake a cake. That's a great idea they think and they go about making a cake. Or trying to. It doesn't go quite the way they planned. Neither does making a pop-up card. Or creating a magic card. Whatever the three little dragons try to do ends up in disaster and a big mess. Will they find a way to make the special person's birthday happy? Cute book with fun illustrations--I especially like the expression of disbelief and despair on the Good Knight's face.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a level 2 reader so would be good for beginning merging readers or for early readers to have read to them. Good Knight helps teach three little dragons the importance of giving 'themselves' to others for gifts; when they don't have money to buy a gift. The end turns out to be Good Knight's birthday and the dragons learn that they being themselves giving themselves to try and bake a cake, make a homemade card and cleaning up after themselves is all Good Knight wants for his birthday. A very sweet book that is 'different' from most other typical children's books. The illustrations are very nicely drawn as well so non readers will pay attention as they are being read to.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

We picked this book up from K's school library.
The Good Knight series is a fun and repetitive series of books. We got a good laugh at the messes that the dragons ended up making while trying to make something special for a birthday person. The lesson that was taught within this story is one that is perfect for little ones to learn about. It is the thought of giving a gift from the heart instead of having money to give something. It is pretty much the thought that counts.
This is a good book for the early readers to read. The pictures are funny and we get to see what the dragons are going to be up to next.

[Ariel Cummins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and sweet story about three little dragons who need a present for a friend. The Good Knight helps them make a cake, and a card, and a magic show, but what they really end up making are three messes. The Good Knight, though, realizes that all their efforts were for him, and appreciates the excellent day they had nonetheless.

Bright colors and loose lines give this book a fun, playful look.

On the more challenging end of beginner readers, this book will be great for readers who are almost ready for chapter books, or for less sure readers to read along with a grownup.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this from the library thinking it was a beginner reader but it is more for an intermediate reader. However, it involves my 6 year old's favorite subjects, (knights,castles,and dragons) so all was not lost and I read it aloud to him. I would recommend this for a 2nd grader and up to maybe 4th grade. Very cute illustrations.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The repetitive narrative and fun illustrations make this a great book to read aloud with younger children. It's a humorous book about birthdays and we enjoyed reading it together. We've liked all of the books in the Good Knight series.

[Sammie Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this whole series of books! These books all have the three dragons, which create or encounter a problem, and then the Good Knight helps them through the dilemma. It is a great book on friendship, and uses sequencing, repitition, and illustrations to scaffold the reader. Read aloud to younger grades, perfect independent book for 1st-2nd graders.

[Mommywest · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Good Knight's birthday is coming, and his little dragon friends want to surprise him, but don't quite know what to do. With the help of the Good Knight, they come to discover that "The most special gifts do not come from a store. They come from our hearts and our hands, nothing more." Sweet and funny story about friendship and gifts.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful story teaches young children how they can celebrate birthdays without buying anything. The emphasis is on gifts from the heart and hands - nothing purchased. The little dragons bake, make a card, and put on a magic show. When everything goes wrong, they also learn what the most important gift is - laughter. Highly recommended. Also: the illustrations are adorable.

[Powers Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since "Good Night, Good Knight" I've had a soft spot for the "Good Knight" books. The three dragons try to do something special for the Good Knight's birthday but it just ends in disaster. But the Good Knight teaches them that having fun together and laughing is the best gift! Sweet story.

[Schmobes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Level 3. Cute story, repeating phrases. Fun!

[Kaethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good Knight is a better man than I am.

[Elizabeth S · Rating 4 out of 5]

What fun, nice, simple, genuine books these are. The Good Knight is a good knight. And the three little dragons are such wonderful children-figures. Just great.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

As cute as the others in the series

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Good Knight books are darling. We like this one just as much as the first one we read.

[Benji Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shelley Moore Thomas is coming to visit our school in a few weeks. I'm trying to get the kids ready.

[Tracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun read with Luke!

[Lindi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny beginning reader about what makes a good gift.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the best gift of all was that the dragons deep cleaned the good knight's home.

[Casandria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as cute as Good Night, Good Knight, but a good book for early readers nevertheless.
Birthday