The Legend of King Arthur-A-Tops

by Mo O'Hara (Author) Andrew Joyner (Illustrator)

The Legend of King Arthur-A-Tops
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

It's the Festival of the Stone, and dinosaurs from across the land will try to pull the great horn Rex-calibur from the magical stone. The one who succeeds shall be crowned king or queen. Arthur-a-tops is probably the least likely to accomplish the task. And yet...could he be the one true king? In this completely reimagined Camelot featuring dino-squires, the trusty Merlin-a-dactyl, and easy-to-trip-over dinosaur tails, O'Hara transforms this classic tale into an enjoyable, accessible, and truly funny treat for young readers.

Coupled perfectly with Andrew Joyner's expressive and classic illustrations, this story will induce fits of giggles and lots of knowing nods from parents who want their little geniuses to have the classics down by first grade.

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Hardcover
$17.99

Kirkus Reviews

Truly this contains some knights to remember.

Booklist

A breezy spin on the classic tale, not at all weighed down by either its broad message or the generally anthropomorphic dinosaurs in medieval dress and armor capering across Joyner’s misty cartoon landscapes.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2--In typical fairytale tradition, this story begins "Once Upon a Time" in Camelot; the only difference is a hundred million years or so. It features softly colored cartooned dinosaurs dressed in the garb of the Middle Ages. As knight-o-saurs attempt to pull the dinosaur horn from a magical stone in order to receive the kingdom's crown, a cast of anthropomorphic creatures with names ending in -dactyl, -saur, -atops, or -raptor fill the cast of a tale that follows the growth of a leader and the development of his self-image. His successful show of strength prompts an outdoor feast as "Merlin-a-dactyl crowned Arthur-a-tops...the one true king." Lest the reader forget what precipitated the historical end of the dinosaurs, there's a final opportunity to predict an ending as a meteor breaks through hazy skies during a celebratory picnic. VERDICT With a rowdy cast of characters, this offering offers light humor and encouragement for those who feel imperfect or insecure. A suggested additional or supplemental purchase for younger readers.--Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



Mo O'Hara

Mo O'Hara is the New York Times bestselling author of the My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish series, the My Fantastically Evil Vampire Pet series, and the Agent Moose graphic novels. She grew up in Pennsylvania and now lives in London, where she works as a writer, actor, and storyteller, visiting theaters and schools all across the UK and Ireland.

Alexandra Cook is an illustrator and concept designer from Atlanta, GA. Having grown up outdoors, she is driven by the fantasies that filled her days of backwoods exploration and desire for adventure. Inspired by environments and people, she uses her love of real-life places to create new worlds and stories for their inhabitants. She is currently based in Austin, TX.

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780062652751
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
HarperCollins
Publication date
March 20, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV002060 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures
JUV022010 - Juvenile Fiction | Legends, Myths, & Fables | Arthurian
Library of Congress categories
Dinosaurs
Kings, queens, rulers, etc
Kings and rulers
Arthur

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