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Usborne Illustrated Tales Of King Arthur
The classic tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table are brought to life with stunning illustrations by Natasha Kuricheva. Discover the legend of Arthur's kingdom through the adventures of brave Sir Lancelot, beautiful Guinevere, wise wizard Merlin, evil Morgan Le Fay and many others.Please ask if you need a specific version. The data provided here may not be correct. With buying and not asking you are accepting the book as is.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 21, 2014
About the author
Sarah Courtauld
43 books22 followersSarah Courtauld lives in London and writes and illustrates funny books for children. Her favourite children's writers are Andy Stanton, Roald Dahl, Tove Jansson, J Meade Falkner and Lemony Snicket, although her all time favourite children's book is The Princess Bride.
Acclaim for Buckle and Squash & the Monstrous Moat Dragon:
"Delicious!"
Gertrude the goat.
Acclaim for Buckle and Squash & the Monstrous Moat Dragon:
"Delicious!"
Gertrude the goat.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 14, 2021
Loved the Arthur legend ever since I was a kid and I got ridiculously excited when I saw this on the "return shelf" in my library as I was helping putting those back. Quickly put it in my own "borrow when I finish pile". The illustrations is absolutely lovely and really fitts in with the short stories revolving around King Arthur and all the characters we know and love (or dislike).
April 11, 2020
A wonderful, beautifully-illustrated collection of Arthurian legend tales, suitable for children. There is a lot of death and knights killing each other (so I sometimes had to say 'boo-boo' instead of 'cut off his head' because I have a 3-year-old who likes knights and queens, the romance between Guinevere and Lancelot is quite PG, and the whole plotline of Morgan Le Fay's incestuous relationship with Arthur and Mordred's lineage is omitted. A gorgeous version that I'm sure we will read many more times in the future.
October 2, 2024
I have heard of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table all of my life. I remember when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy invoked the words of Camelot in regard to him and his administration.
Here is a Quote regarding it: On the weekend following the assassination and state funeral, Mrs. Kennedy invited the journalist Theodore White to the Kennedy compound in Hyannis for an exclusive interview to serve as the basis for an essay in a forthcoming issue of Life magazine dedicated to President Kennedy.
In that interview Mrs. Kennedy pressed upon White the Camelot image that would prove so influential in shaping the public memory of JFK and his administration. President Kennedy, she told the journalist, was especially fond of the music from the popular Broadway musical, Camelot, the lyrics of which were the work of Alan Jay Lerner, JFK’s classmate at Harvard. The musical, which featured Richard Burton as Arthur, Julie Andrews as Guinevere, and Robert Goulet as Lancelot, had a successful run on Broadway from 1960 to 1963. According to Mrs. Kennedy, the couple enjoyed listening to a recording of the title song before going to bed at night. JFK was especially fond of the concluding couplet: “Don’t ever let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was Camelot.” President Kennedy, she said, was strongly attracted to the Camelot legend because he was an idealist who saw history as something made by heroes like King Arthur (a claim White knew to be untrue). “There will be great presidents again,” she told White, “but there will never be another Camelot.” In this way, and to her credit, Mrs. Kennedy sought to attach a morally uplifting message to one of the more ugly events in American history.
We had planned a trip to Europe, including a few days in England this past summer, and were going to Cornwall England, to Tintagel Castle on the western edge of Cornwall. This castle has mythical ties to King Arthur. So I decided to read a book on King Arthur, and got a children's version because of our 9 Grands. I enjoyed this book and the illustrations. There are myths and legends and there is no proof that King Arthur actually existed but the book does tie him to a Castle between two hills where he went to die.
I'm glad I read it. I think if it's read to children, they should be old enough to process a lot of killing and magic.
Here is a Quote regarding it: On the weekend following the assassination and state funeral, Mrs. Kennedy invited the journalist Theodore White to the Kennedy compound in Hyannis for an exclusive interview to serve as the basis for an essay in a forthcoming issue of Life magazine dedicated to President Kennedy.
In that interview Mrs. Kennedy pressed upon White the Camelot image that would prove so influential in shaping the public memory of JFK and his administration. President Kennedy, she told the journalist, was especially fond of the music from the popular Broadway musical, Camelot, the lyrics of which were the work of Alan Jay Lerner, JFK’s classmate at Harvard. The musical, which featured Richard Burton as Arthur, Julie Andrews as Guinevere, and Robert Goulet as Lancelot, had a successful run on Broadway from 1960 to 1963. According to Mrs. Kennedy, the couple enjoyed listening to a recording of the title song before going to bed at night. JFK was especially fond of the concluding couplet: “Don’t ever let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was Camelot.” President Kennedy, she said, was strongly attracted to the Camelot legend because he was an idealist who saw history as something made by heroes like King Arthur (a claim White knew to be untrue). “There will be great presidents again,” she told White, “but there will never be another Camelot.” In this way, and to her credit, Mrs. Kennedy sought to attach a morally uplifting message to one of the more ugly events in American history.
We had planned a trip to Europe, including a few days in England this past summer, and were going to Cornwall England, to Tintagel Castle on the western edge of Cornwall. This castle has mythical ties to King Arthur. So I decided to read a book on King Arthur, and got a children's version because of our 9 Grands. I enjoyed this book and the illustrations. There are myths and legends and there is no proof that King Arthur actually existed but the book does tie him to a Castle between two hills where he went to die.
I'm glad I read it. I think if it's read to children, they should be old enough to process a lot of killing and magic.
August 19, 2018
Brilliant. Great illustrations. Well told. All rather good and lovely.
May 14, 2021
One of the best
October 6, 2020
Istället för att krångla igenom massa långa romaner om King Artur var det enklare att läsa denna bok som nog är skriven för barn. Nu fick man på ett snabbt och smidigt sätt veta vem riddaren Kung Artur var.
Bra med stor text. Nu är jag redo för att de filmer om honom.
Skulle önska att det fanns en liknande med andra kända personer från förr.
Bra med stor text. Nu är jag redo för att de filmer om honom.
Skulle önska att det fanns en liknande med andra kända personer från förr.
January 13, 2025
This was really well done. Beautiful illustrations, very solid retellings of the stories, and I thought this was a great introduction to Arthurian legend for the kids. I am currently reading/listening to "Le Morte d'Arthur" and frankly it was nice hearing some of these stories told in modern English for me as well. The stories are more Arthur/Lancelot/Guinevere/Gawain-centric and leave out everything to do with Tristan and La Belle Isolde. We read a little Usborne book about those characters that gave the gist of their story to try to get a broader Arthurian experience. This one was perfect - not too babyish, not too mature. I would highly recommend.
October 22, 2020
A beautifully illustrated, child-friendly Usborne edition of stories from the Arthurian mythos. I used this to introduce my kids (currently 6 and 7 years old) to the idea of the Arthurian mythos, to accompany a homeschooling unit on early (but post-Roman) Britain. We covered the known facts of the British dark age from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the conquest by the Anglo-Saxons, but I wanted them to have some familiarity with the mythology about this time in British history as well.
February 19, 2024
I read it with my son, or rather I read it at him, since he's too small to get the gist of it yet, but it's been a great journey!
It includes some of my favourites and is quite complete to be a children's retelling.
I have the french version and as usual the written language feels too formal and stilted even in this context. I'm sure english or italian would have sounded better!
It includes some of my favourites and is quite complete to be a children's retelling.
I have the french version and as usual the written language feels too formal and stilted even in this context. I'm sure english or italian would have sounded better!
April 18, 2024
I bought this book for the beautiful artwork! The story flows well. Though it is what I would call a quick summery of Malory.
It is written for perhaps a younger audience as the incest plot has been removed. Although the affair of Lancelot and Guinevere is included.
This is a very beautiful book I am glad to add to my collection.
It is written for perhaps a younger audience as the incest plot has been removed. Although the affair of Lancelot and Guinevere is included.
This is a very beautiful book I am glad to add to my collection.
September 22, 2020
This book seems bring me back to my childhood universe where are full of magic, witches, knights and thrilling fairy tales. Many lessons are hiding behind every story told about Arthur Knights and the King himself, this book is worth reading not only for kid but also the grownups too.
November 21, 2019
Well told and well illustrated. Kids were enthralled.
Liked it a lot.
Liked it a lot.
November 9, 2020
My son says 5 stars. "The book is awesome."
July 25, 2021
Nice intro to these stories, I enjoyed reading these to my 7 year old. However these stories are so old school macho not-feminist at ALL. I wonder if there’s a kids’ version of The Mists of Avalon…..
November 30, 2021
A nice little collection of the Arthurian legends.
February 22, 2022
Great version of the classic tales of King Arthur for a younger audience
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April 26, 2026This was a great introduction to these fabulous legends. My kids were at the edge of their seats each night!
February 1, 2015
I have always liked the illustrated books. They are fascinating and heavy weight, and make a great presentation of the storyline. Stories of King Arthur is no less to that. Nicely drawn pictures lets you visualize most of the environment and characters.
As for the story, I didn't quite like it a lot. The things I liked about the stories was how everyone was at a loss after a certain time. Every knight had his time of glory and later also had their time of misfortune and defeat.
I hated how every time a sword pops up and things move regarding that and how the greatest wizard Marlin couldn't do anything even after being all powerful and knowing all. I also hated the saga of Morgan La Fay .. and ...
anyways, the story at least had a great ending, and like the wise say states, "All well that ends well." so I give it a three star nonetheless. But if you like Arthur by observing the modern retelling of the stories then it's better not to jump into this book :)
As for the story, I didn't quite like it a lot. The things I liked about the stories was how everyone was at a loss after a certain time. Every knight had his time of glory and later also had their time of misfortune and defeat.
I hated how every time a sword pops up and things move regarding that and how the greatest wizard Marlin couldn't do anything even after being all powerful and knowing all. I also hated the saga of Morgan La Fay .. and ...
anyways, the story at least had a great ending, and like the wise say states, "All well that ends well." so I give it a three star nonetheless. But if you like Arthur by observing the modern retelling of the stories then it's better not to jump into this book :)
July 8, 2016
Simple english, and nice illustrations. There's no way in the world that I will love this kind of medievel stories as this, the way Narrated by Sarah, simply beautiful. Now, time to finish another book. Started to love stories about medievel time in England. Thumbs up.
October 6, 2025
I LOVE SIR GAWAIN
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews