The Legend of King Arthur-a-tops

by Mo O'Hara, Andrew Joyner (Illustrator)

Overview

“Truly this contains some knights to remember.” —Kirkus Reviews

A bumbling triceratops must prove himself worthy in New York Times bestselling author Mo O’Hara’s second hilarious picture book offering a prehistoric spin on the legend of King Arthur.

It’s the Festival of the Stone, and dinosaurs from across the land will try to pull the great horn Rex-calibur from the magical stone. The one who succeeds shall be crowned king or queen. Arthur-a-tops is probably the least likely to accomplish the task. And yet…could he be the one true king?

In this completely reimagined Camelot featuring dino-squires, the trusty Merlin-a-dactyl, and easy-to-trip-over dinosaur tails, O’Hara transforms this classic tale into an enjoyable, accessible, and truly funny treat for young readers.

Coupled perfectly with Andrew Joyner’s expressive and classic illustrations, this story will induce fits of giggles and lots of knowing nods from parents who want their little geniuses to have the classics down by first grade.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062652751
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Mo O’Hara is a writer, actor, storyteller, and author of the bestselling My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish series. Mo got her start as an actress, traveling across the UK. During her travels, she was told that her stories were good enough to be written down—so she wrote them! Since then, she has hit the New York Times bestseller list with her middle grade series and has published two picture books: More People to Love Me and My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish: The Fintastic Fishsitter. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, she now lives in London. You can visit her at www.moohara.co.uk.

Andrew Joyner is an Australian children’s book author and illustrator. In his past life, he worked as a receptionist, a fruit packer, and a tutor. It’s safe to say he is a well-rounded guy. Some of his many titles include Too Many Elephants in This House, written by Ursula Dubosarsky, and The Swap, written by Jan Ormerod. You can visit him at www.andrewjoyner.com.au.

Editorial Reviews

Truly this contains some knights to remember.” — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

02/01/2020

K-Gr 2—In typical fairytale tradition, this story begins "Once Upon a Time" in Camelot; the only difference is a hundred million years or so. It features softly colored cartooned dinosaurs dressed in the garb of the Middle Ages. As knight-o-saurs attempt to pull the dinosaur horn from a magical stone in order to receive the kingdom's crown, a cast of anthropomorphic creatures with names ending in –dactyl, -saur, -atops, or –raptor fill the cast of a tale that follows the growth of a leader and the development of his self-image. His successful show of strength prompts an outdoor feast as "Merlin-a-dactyl crowned Arthur-a-tops…the one true king." Lest the reader forget what precipitated the historical end of the dinosaurs, there's a final opportunity to predict an ending as a meteor breaks through hazy skies during a celebratory picnic. VERDICT With a rowdy cast of characters, this offering offers light humor and encouragement for those who feel imperfect or insecure. A suggested additional or supplemental purchase for younger readers.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

School Library Journal

2019-10-27
Arthurian legend takes a trip to the Cretaceous in this rollicking reptilian reinterpretation.

O'Hara and Joyner follow up their Romeosaurus and Juliet Rex (2018) by going farther back in time to the dino days of yore. Three dinosaur squires in training for knighthood attend the Festival of the Stone. There, knights from far and wide attempt to pull a horn from a stone in the hopes of being crowned king or queen if they succeed. All fail until the clumsy-but-plucky triceratops, Arthur-a-tops, manages the deed. Befuddled by the crowd's jeering response, Arthur then accidentally lodges his own front horn into the stone. Fortunately, a little help from his friends helps him become the king everyone deserves. O'Hara peppers the old tale with some nice updates, making Guinevere a "fast and fearless" raptor and squire. And transforming Camelot's cast to dino equivalents is a snap, since all it takes is to add an "o-saur" here or an "a-tops" there. Joyner's art gives the enterprise the jollity a tale chock-full of knights and terrible lizards deserves—until a flaming asteroid appears in the very last scene….

Truly this contains some knights to remember. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews