Knights vs. Dinosaurs

Knights vs. Dinosaurs
Matt Phelan
Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2018 148 pages
Grades 2-6
Fantasy/Humor

Our story begins with brave Sir Erec, who boasts at a party at Camelot that he has slayed forty dragons, which is hardly the case since he has never actually seen a dragon. Merlin witnesses the boast and sets out to teach the dashing knight a lesson. Summoned by King Arthur for a quest, Sir Erec agrees to battle a huge lizard of which Merlin is aware. The next day, accompanied by three fellow Knights of the Round Table and one all-suffering squire, the noble group heads into a cave where the ferocious lizard is said to dwell. The gang is completely surprised upon exiting the cave to discover that the woodsie forests of Britain have transformed to a lush jungle. Further investigation reveals that they are in a foreign land with unusual lizard-like creatures, who prove to be treacherous. The knights split up, having separate dangerous adventures, finally reuniting to take on the worst creature of all: a giant t-rex. Will our heroes escape the fate of becoming dino lunch? Will they ever get back to Britain? And if so, what do Merlin and Arthur have planned next?

Picture book illustrator and graphic novelist, Phelan, turns his talents to penning a heavily illustrated work of fiction combining two of the most interesting things to kids: knights and dinosaurs to create a winning combination. A perfect choice for a reluctant reader, the font is large and colorful and humorous black and white cartoon-like illustrations abound, sometimes appearing as comic panels. The action never flags and the knights are not afraid to get down and dirty in battling their giant foes. Some unexpected gender twists invite female readers to the party, proving that women can be as fearless and sword-wielding as men. The knights are at times delightfully bumbling, sure to incite giggles in readers, yet are all drawn distinctly. There are truly funny moments, truly tense moments, yet never any boring moments. A sure-fire hit for that hard to please reader and a guaranteed page-turner. The ending leaves off with a hint of another adventure to come, so hopefully this is the start of a series with a new installment to follow in the future.