Voyage to Avalon

Mice of the Round Table #2

by Julie Leung

A mysterious new threat sparks a dangerous quest in book two of the epic middle grade series Booklist called “a charming blend of Arthurian legend and Brian Jacques’ Redwall series.”

Young mouse Calib Christopher has nearly completed his training to become a squire to the Knights of the Round Table when news of a deadly plague comes to the castle. Soon all of Camelot is showing signs of the illness, animals and humans alike. Desperate to find a cure, Calib and his friend Cecily set off on a treacherous voyage to find the mythical, healing island of Avalon.

But even as their journey takes them over land and sea, back at home, Calib's human friend Galahad discovers that the true enemy may have already found a way inside the castle walls…

Perfect for fans of New York Times bestselling series like Wings of Fire and Warriors, Mice of the Round Table brings to life a legendary world of animals and magic that kids will want to return to again and again.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Animals, Arthurian, Adventure, Fiction, Childrens

336 pages, Hardcover

First published October 3, 2017

About the author

JULIE LEUNG is an award-winning author of numerous children’s books. Her picture book, The Truth About Dragons is a Caldecott Honor and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. By day, she works in book publishing. She was raised in the sleepy suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, though it may be more accurate to say she grew up in Oz and came of age in Middle-earth.

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A wonderful children's book.

In the days of King Arthur, a plague stalks the land, affecting only fighting age men. A young mouse and his animal friends have to travel far to a mystical island to find the cure.

Great stuff. Like an old Disney movie in prose.

[Meb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a CUTE series! It had me right back in my childhood Camelot obsession. Leung's writing is cozy and sweet, while always keeping the plot moving. I'm ready to eat some crusty bread and drink a nice hot beverage in a castle cellar (as in all great MG, the food is described excellently). Would recommend for any middle grade reader - especially those in a post-Redwall rut!

[Wendy MacKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

The charming & brave mice are back, and their adventures don’t disappoint! Sweet, inspiring, courageous. Wonderful story and lessons on friendship & bravery

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid sequel to the first in the series and it sets things up nicely for more to come in the next installment. I have to admit I wasn't expecting it to be as engaging as it was. I usually enjoy anthropomorphic animals fantasy and I enjoy human medieval fantasy, but for some reason, the idea that the humans and animals can communicate felt a little too "cutesy". Surprisingly though, it was much more complex and thoughtful than just a cute book about talking mice. There are deeper themes of discovering your calling/destiny and choosing to use your gifts for good vs. evil in the story that make it a poignant read, even though it's a book for kids. Some of the plot twists were obvious (to me as an adult) but some came as a surprise to me, which definitely contributed to it feeling more than a cutesy book. Looking forward to the next one!

[Barbara White · Rating 5 out of 5]

My struggling junior high students and I love Voyage to Avalon. They enjoyed A Tail of Camelot, too. They're looking for another book in this series. Not only do my students love this series, so do their friends, who are not struggling readers. Voyage to Avalon is so charming and the characters are lovable. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Goodreads First Reads for a copy of this book. We look forward to more.

[Edshara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like the first book in the series, Voyage To Avalon , is well written, has plenty of action and lots of twists and turns. This book does a good job of focusing on friendship, believing in yourself and so much more. Some parts of the plot were easy to piece together, however, their were still plenty of surprises. I enjoyed every bit of this book and I can't wait for Book 3!

[Aletha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this adorable series!

[Stephanie (Reading is Better With Cupcakes) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come

[Megan Herold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this book wish we would have read the first book of the series first but we will go back and read it and then the third book. This is a must read it’s such a clever book.

[Vihaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book because it reminds me of Thanksgiving. It teaches us about friendship and gratitude.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am such a sucker for stories featuring rodentia!

These are cute, quick reads. Great for a class bookshelf, true middle grade (4th-6th grades) fare. Presumes content background knowledge of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (specifically, Guinevere, Lancelot and Galahad), although the plots are original takes on the legends -- from a heroic mouse's point of view.

Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is even better than the first. Mystery, adventure, quests,...it has it all. Brian Jacques is smiling down from heaven. On to Book 3.