The Adventures of Sir Balin the Ill-Fated

"[The] fourth of the light-hearted Arthurian Knights' Tales . . . a 21st-century spin on the ancient legends" from the author of The Squire's Tales (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).
Many years ago, the storytellers say, the great King Arthur brought justice to England with the help of his gallant knights of the roundtable. While most of King Arthur's knights freely chose a life of duty, for Sir Balin the Ill-Fated, destiny was foretold in a prophecy. And seriously, "ill-fated" is right there in his title, so Balin's not surprised when things go sour. Still, no matter how dire the task, a loyal and gallant knight never refuses adventure! Will Sir Balin finally discover his true destiny? And which ill-fated path will he have to choose? Join Balin on this, the noblest quest of all.
"Lots of humor, wordplay, and numerous twists and turns." -School Library Journal
Praise for The Knights' Tales series
"With his quirky sense of myth and legend and tongue-in-cheek humor, [Morris] brings to life the court of King Arthur and his knights." -Curled Up with a Good Kid's Book
"The book's brevity and humor make it accessible to reluctant readers, and it is a fantastic read-aloud." -School Library Journal
"This trim novel, with simple vocabulary and brief, witty chapters, is an ideal fit for early readers . . . but fans of the legendary characters may find particular delight in this irreverent and unabashedly silly exploration of Arthur's court and his most influential knight." -The Bulletin
"This is often quite funny, and just exciting enough to capture the attention of budding young Arthur-philes." -Booklist

When Gerald Morris was in fifth grade he loved Greek and Norse mythology and before long was retelling the stories to his younger sister and then to neighborhood kids. He began carrying a notebook in which he kept some of the details related to the different stories. The joy he found in retelling those myths continued when he discovered other stories. According to Gerald Morris, "I never lost my love of retelling the old stories. When I found Arthurian literature, years later, I knew at once that I wanted to retell those grand tales. So I pulled out my notebook . . . I retell the tales, peopling them with characters that I at least find easier to recognize, and let the magic of the Arthurian tradition go where it will." Gerald Morris lives in Wausau, Wisconsin, with his wife and their three children. In addition to writing he serves as a minister in a church. Aaron Renierwas born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, andattended artschool in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.He's drawn comics as far back as he can remember, and today he has found a very vibrant and supportive community of cartoonists in Chicago, where he currently resides.Renier is the recipient of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Talent Deserving Wider Recognition, and received a nomination for best Children's Album in 2005.