SCIESZKA, Jon - The Knights of the Kitchen Table - [Time Warp Trio # 1] - (Hardcover in Wrapper)

Book and wrapper still in a very good condition even though it belonged to a library before -  Scieszka is an American children's writer, best known for picture books created with the illustrator Lane Smith. He is also a nationally recognized reading advocate, and the founder of Guys Read a web-based literacy program for boys whose mission is "to help boys become self-motivated, lifelong readers.".  >>>    From the author of the hilarious The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (1989) comes up with an entertaining formula in this first "Time Warp Trio"  story - Narrator Joe is given a magic book (''The Book'') that transports him and two friends to King Arthur's Britain, where they find themselves confronted by a fearsome Black Knight who's easy to defeat with some quick dodging when he's in mid-charge. Then Lancelot, Gawain, et al. happen by and take the boys for heroes for tricking the loathsome giant who's menacing the castle and fighting the terrible dragon (Smaug) that has also just turned up. Scieszka unobtrusively slips in several classic references and defines some chivalric jargon by having the boys comically paraphrase it; there is some daring juvenile humor on the subject of the giant's various atrocious smells, and the contrast between the boys' breezy manner and the knights' pseudo-formality is also good for several laughs. Smith's drawings deftly reflect the blend of everyday kid with zany, mock-gruesome adventure.  See also my simultaneously published sequel, The Not-So-Jolly Roger,    * Age 8-12 *