I have never really gotten into graphic novels besides Garfield when growing up. Sure, I read the funnies everyday, but a whole book of them never seemed quite up my alley. Graphic novels have drastically changed since I was a kid because now the panels aren't merely separate strips put together in book form. The graphic novel I read was really good and I think kids would love it. The author was very creative and got me hooked right away. I thought it was very clever how he incorporated various aspects relating to "King Arthur and The Knights of The Round Table" mythology into this story. I'm not sure an elementary aged child would catch all of the references, but I thought it was fun. We start with Artie (Arthur) King who loves to read Valiant Blade graphic novels. The dragon in a cave that must be slayed turns out to be a stray dog that was stuck and howling for help, the kingdom of Camelot becomes Camelot Middle School, and the witch figure Mrs. Dagger (the evil principal). Mr. Merlyn is the hip, truth-saying guidance counselor and Gwen a girl who helps win the dodgeball challenge (war between good and evil). Infamous Locker 001 XCL portrays the Sword in the Stone (this locker also has some magical powers to aid our main character through his journeys).
To keep the visual interest of the reader, the illustrations were made up of various sized panels. This format was not hard to follow and flowed nicely. Emotions and movement were created using placement of objects, shading, and facial expressions. The characters are relatable to anyone who was the new kid at school or picked on for not being super athletic. This was a very fast, enjoyable read!
Here is a fun website with a game to play (I played it and it is really fun and surprisingly addictive): http://www.scholastic.com/knightsofthelunchtable/
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