The Knight in Battered Armor by Brianna Tibbetts
The Knight in Battered Armor
Written by Brianna Tibbitts & Illustrated by Liz Stockton
Brought to you by JustRead Publicity Tours
This is a little different from the reviews I typically do as it a children’s book, but since it is a fairy tale, I thought it fit well with the historical fiction focus.
I have two sons, ages ten and fourteen, and decided to read one chapter a night to them before bed. Honestly, I was afraid they’d stick their noses up in the air and Mom would be forced to go sulk and read it alone. But they enjoyed it! Even begged each night to read more than one chapter. For this momma who realizes her days forming these sort or memories are numbered, it was something I deeply treasured. At one point in the fight scene, they grabbed their toy swords and fought each other while I read.
The story was exciting as it followed the traditional fairy tale form. You have the monstrous villain, the brave hero, and the damsel in distress. The knight was a great example in doing what is right without expectation of reward because it is the right thing to do, and the princess was smart and compassionate. Of course, you can’t have a fairy tale without some sort of battle with good vs. evil. As I stated earlier, that was my boys’ favorite part.
It is definitely a story to read aloud, as the vocabulary is a little high level for young readers. I’d put it somewhere near a middle school level, but even if the younger readers don’t know the exact meaning, they can still greatly enjoy the story.
Even though I was provided a digital copy by the author/publisher, I’ve decided to purchase a hardcover copy. It is a story I hope to pull out on occasion and read to them, and perhaps one day, to my grandchildren.
Is it worth it to pay the higher price of a hardcover picture book? Yes. The pictures were simple in design but colorful and complemented the story well. The story itself was enjoyable and something I look forward to reading with my boys again… this time not from my tiny phone screen.
*I was given a copy of this book by the author/publisher. It in no way influenced my opinion as given above.*
Blurb from Amazon
Lord Tempesto is a snake in every sense. As a human, he is slimy, deceitful, and manipulative, but when he’s denied what he wants, he transforms into a gigantic, powerful snake. He wants nothing more than to rule the kingdom himself, and he’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Princess Melina is meant to rule her father’s kingdom someday, but she doesn’t want to do it alone. However, the search for a noble suitor brings a monster to the palace gates. When monster Lord Tempesto captures her and threatens to devour her beloved kingdom if she doesn’t marry him, she has no choice but to submit to the repulsive monster’s demands.
James, the son of a knight, hears about Princess Melina’s plight and sets out on the long journey to rescue her. But his own skills aren’t enough to win the fight against such a ruthless, powerful monster, and it takes teamwork between the captive and her rescuer to save the kingdom from the monster for good.
The Knight in Battered Armor shows children of all ages the importance of doing what is right no matter what and not being afraid to protect what is most important.