I’ve read all Cheryl
Carpinello’s books and have enjoyed them very much, particularly the Arthurian themed
stories. I asked Cheryl what started her writing on Arthuriana.
Cheryl: I’ve always
loved Arthurian Legend, but it wasn’t until I taught high school English that I
learned the value of the Legend. I would have students that refused to read the
literature I assigned. When we when to the library to get reading books, these
students stood by the book shelves, thumbed through several books, and returned
them to the shelf. When the unit on King Arthur begin, I started off by asking
my students to share what they already knew about Arthur. My non-readers
usually had their hands up first! Over the course of the unit (3-4 weeks),
these students who didn’t read, scrambled to get their hands on stories, books,
and movies before anyone else. The first year this happened I was stunned.
After about the 4th year in a row, I realized I had discovered the figurative
‘sword in the stone that propelled these students to read. I loved it!
Book review of The King’s Ransom: When the King’s Ransom, a wondrous jewelled medallion, is stolen from
Pembroke Castle in Wales, it is up to three young heroes to band together to
solve this mystery and save a life. Prince Gavin (12), the youngest son of King
Wallace and Queen Katherine, and his two friends, Philip (13), an orphan, and
Bryan (15), a blacksmith’s apprentice, are an unlikely trio, uneven in terms of
social status, but firm and loyal companions. Their friend, the Wild Man, is
accused of murdering the king’s advisor and stealing the marvellous medallion,
a symbol of absolute power and justice, but only in the right hands. Kings have
enemies, and it soon becomes apparent that someone was after the medallion for
the prestige it would bestow. Gavin, Bryan, and Philip race against time to
find the medallion, reveal the true killer, and save the Wild Man’s life. They
have only a few days before the arrival of King Arthur. If the medallion is not
found, the Wild Man will be executed in front of Arthur. Can they overcome
their fears and fulfil this momentous quest? Is it possible the Wild Man has
tricked them all and simply used their friendship to get closer to the
medallion?
What a delightful five-star story.
I am familiar with Cheryl Carpinello’s writing from reading and reviewing her
first Arthurian book, Guinevere: On the Eve of a Legend. Then I was entranced
by the author’s spell-binding descriptions of life in Arthurian times and her
meticulous attention to detail. Cheryl’s skills have remained as bright as ever
with the unfolding of this fast-paced tale, threaded with mystery, adventure, a
bit of magic, danger, darkness, and lovely twists in the end. I so enjoyed the factual
information about weapons, clothing, daily life, and places, cleverly
interspersed in the text and dialogue to inform without overwhelming young
readers. The author has a gift for delving into the depths of each young hero’s
psyche. The way each one of the trio faces their fears, learns to believe in
themselves, and finds their true meaning and path in life is moving. This is a
superb coming-of-age story, set in a time of chivalry and pageantry, and
harking back to an age when a hero was truly a hero.
Fans will love that
there is a FREE Study Guide to help expand their knowledge of King Arthur and his
era. You can find out more about Cheryl’s books here.
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