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In the ancient kingdom of Camelot, a new king must be chosen after the death of the previous one. The king’s knights turn to Merlin, a wise old recluse who instructs them that whoever can pull Excalibur from its stone will be the rightful king of the land. The knights try their hardest to no avail, but a plucky young man named Arthur gives it his best try despite being a commoner. Amazingly, the sword smoothly releases. As the new king, Arthur puts fairness first above all other things, and so under his regime creates the opportunity for two brave new warriors: Lancelot’s brother Ellsworth and his sister Wendy. Though different from the others, their character and unique traits make them perfectly suited for service to the people of Camelot and the surrounding kingdoms.
Arthurian legend is something most readers will be familiar with, but the author provides a whimsical spin on it with the introduction of Ellsworth (also known as Sir Burpsalot for obvious reasons) and Wendy. Each of these new characters is a young, kind-hearted person who is seen as an outcast from the beginning but proves their worth through consideration and perseverance. Stripping away the gritty realism and adult emotions of The Once and Future King, this story gives children a version of Camelot full of dashing heroes, scary but redeemable monsters, and a sense of humor. With action, strong moral character, and imaginative scenes, characters, and creatures, this is a perfect introduction for readers to legendary characters that populate many different works of fiction.