Having been a fan of Jon Scieszka and his humorous fairy
tale adaptations (The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly
Odd Tales, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs) I was more than happy to
sit down and read one of his beginning reader novels. The
Time Warp Trio is a cute little series and Knights of
the Kitchen Table is the first in the series. This story follows three young
boys as they are magically transported back through time to the age of King
Arthur and the knights of the round table. They quickly realize that this little
trip is no cake walk. They have to live without baseball, tv, and showers! Plus
they quickly discover that in order to prove themselves to the court they have
to help defend the kingdom from the Big Black Knight, a giant, and a dragon. Are
they up for the task? Will they ever make it home in time for dinner?
This story contains many of the characteristics/motifs
that Tunnel et al. mentions are present in traditional fantasy stories. The thee
boys find themselves playing the role of hero of the kingdom, there are magical
elements (getting sent back in time), and fantastic objects (the book Joe
receives for his birthday that sends the three friends back in time).
Overall, I think that kids would really enjoy reading
this book. It isn't complex, it is a simple, straightforward read that is made
humorous and engaging by the captivating illustrations that are thrown in
throughout the book.
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