In Guinevere: At the Dawn of Legend,
the story opens with Britain at war, Guinevere anxiously awaiting news of her
father, King Leodegrance, and her betrothed, the young King Arthur, both of whom
have ridden north to battle. Some things don’t change though, and when
Guinevere and Cedwyn, her childhood friend, slip away from Cadbury Castle, it’s
to explore and find out more, this time about the ancient menhirs, the Wizards’
Stones. Magical energy abounds and the two young people are astounded to
experience an incredible apparition, that of the Goddess, and she has a message
for both of them. However, since peril is hurtling fast towards them, the
message portends danger and destruction. Renegades from the north are planning
to kidnap the young princess! After a tumultuous and shocking turn of events, Guinevere
and Cedwyn discover that the renegades have burnt the Abbey to the ground, the monks
have been murdered and, when they make their way back to the castle, they find
the children have been taken in lieu of Guinevere to be sold into slavery! Can
Guinevere and Cedwyn organise a viable rescue mission, and will it work, taking
into consideration that Cedwyn’s message from the Goddess had some dark and foreboding
overtones regarding his future...
Author Cheryl Carpinello sets
the pace right away for this adventure and it does not let up. Although this
author writes for reluctant readers, the narrative is not dumbed-down, and kids
will enjoy being steeped in great atmospherics, experiencing every nail-biting,
heart-pounding moment of the action, danger, and harsh conditions. Life in
medieval times was no picnic and kids will learn just how brutal it could be.
The author cleverly inserts relevant details about conditions back then and
these help young readers to get a sense of the era and the surroundings the
characters inhabit. Young Cedwyn seems to be destined for greater things as he
takes the lead in this story, putting himself in danger to save the children.
Relevant themes abound, such as making the right decisions, putting others
first, keeping your promises, loyalty and friendship, leadership and
responsibility, all values that have been forgotten to a large extent in modern
society, where “me” is the watchword. In fact, in the very informative and
interesting endnotes, Cheryl Carpinello outlines the history of Arthur, the
concept of chivalry and the ideals associated with him, and why these concepts
and ideals will never die.
Young readers won’t just turn
the last page and find the end of the story. Questions for Discussion and Enrichment
offer parents, teachers, and librarians a wealth of opportunities to find out
how well the young readers remember what they have read, as well as exploring
deeper themes for greater understanding. A list of characters and names of
places, as well as a map and illustrations keep the young reader firmly
entrenched in the story, with a clear idea of who is who, and where they are in
the tale. This is a delightful story, filled with history, emotion, action, and
adventure to keep those young readers, both reluctant and eager, turning the
pages non-stop. The story ends on an exciting cliff-hanger, opening the door to
yet another fantastic adventure in an age long past, with themes and ideals that
we, living in the 21st century, would do well to remember. A
wonderful tale for budding young knights, and those (a little older, perhaps)
who remember their chivalric ideals. A great adventure for fans of Arthuriana!
