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Good Knight #1
Good Night, Good Knight
The Good Knight is on his watch when he hears a sound. Roar! Is it a dragon? A great big dragon? He searches the woods and finds a surprise. Three very little dragons are almost ready for bed. But who will read to them, tuck them in, and kiss them good night? Is this a job for the Good Knight? Young readers, like the young dragons, will quickly fall under the Good Knight's spell.
"Stories of valiant knights slaying fearsome dragons are going to fall sadly flat after one reading of this bewitching tale." ( Kirkus Reviews , pointer review)
"Stories of valiant knights slaying fearsome dragons are going to fall sadly flat after one reading of this bewitching tale." ( Kirkus Reviews , pointer review)
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
7 people are currently reading
270 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
January 3, 2022
The best of the best.
September 25, 2025
My daddy and mommy both read this to me! I liked all the growls and accents they used! I’m happy that the good knight was nice to those little dragons!
January 1, 2016
Delightful beginning reader that is also a delight as a bedtime, good night book. It centers around the efforts of a knight to help three little dragons get to sleep with the usual glasses of water, bedtime stories and a lullaby. Repetition in words, actions and illustrations both facilitate its function as an early reader and as a sleep inducer. Vocabulary like, crumbly tumbly tower, clippety-clop make it fun and the juxtaposition of the very loud roars the knight hears and the little dragons with their jammies on and their inocent requests are delicious. The story may remind readers of "The Wolf's Chicken Stew."
December 22, 2009
Checked out a bunch of these Good Knight books from our library for my reluctant 6 year old reader to read. He loves knights and quests and all that and I thought these would be fun to read. They are supposed to be beginner readers but one quick glances assured me that like most so-called beginner readers, this is not. It's more appropriate for your average 2nd grader. Of course a gifted young enthuisastic reader can read this unaided, but a reluctant child having difficulties couldn't read this in kindergarden or first grade without help. However, I believe we could read this together happily because the subject matter and adorable super cute illustrations keep him interested and he can read most the words himself with just a wee bit of prompting from me.
December 19, 2008
I wasn't totally enamored with this book, but I thought it was pretty cute. It would be fun for read aloud, as well as appropriate for early-independent reading. I really liked the text repetition, which could make reading aloud interesting as the knight gets more and more exasperated, but would also be good for confidence building in an early reader. Plus, the story is pretty cute and I can see a kid thinking it's totally funny.
November 18, 2009
About a knight who has the night watch and discovers more than he expected when he hears a roar from the forest. Fun, silly, entertaining. Full of repeated phrases which make it accessible to beginning readers but silly enough to keep adults entertained too. Plus the subject matter will be the source of some amusement to parents.
July 24, 2015
This is my 6-year old's favorite book collection. After checking out various "Good Knight" books from the library, we finally just bought them. Very, very worth it.
October 23, 2018
Good Night, Good Knight, by Shelley Moore Thomas, is a clever patterned bedtime story about a knight who takes on the rather daunting task of putting three little dragons to bed. When the Good Knight hears a loud roar in the forest while on his watch, he goes to investigate only to find that it is a little dragon who needs a glass of water before he can settle in for bed. Being the Good Knight that he is, he gives the dragon his water and tucks him in to bed, returning to his post. However, the Good Knight finds himself returning to the cave several times over the course of the evening to help the dragons get settled in for bed before the story ends with him heading in and calling it a night as well. The story has quite a humorous tone that readers both young and old can appreciate, as you can't help but feel sorry for this poor but well-intentioned knight who keeps having to return back to the cave over and over again to satisfy these rather high maintenance dragons. The rhyming and repetitive nature of this book makes it perfect for early readers, ideally late Kindergarten through 2nd grade. The simple, colorful and cartoonish illustrations also cater perfectly to this age range. This book would make a super fun class read aloud, and could be perfect for launching a lesson on homophones!
December 9, 2024
Overall, is a delightful and comforting bedtime story that will captivate young readers with its warm, whimsical tale. This book introduces readers to the Good Knight, a kind and caring character who ensures that all his fellow castle residents are safe and sound before he can rest for the night. The repetitive nature of the text provides a calming atmosphere, making it a great bedtime read that helps children wind down. The language is simple and engaging, with a lovely cadence that invites children to anticipate what the Good Knight will do next.
June 24, 2019
The good knight hears a loud roar in the forest when he is on watch on the castle tower. When he goes to find out what it is he finds three baby dragons on need of some parenting.
The story has repetition, humour, and fun, and great illustrations.
The story has repetition, humour, and fun, and great illustrations.
August 16, 2019
This is a wonderful book for kids who are just starting to gain the confidence to read longer books themselves. The repetition, the silly illustrations, and the funny twist on a traditional bedtime story make this a great one for first and second graders who are ready for a bit of a challenge!
September 9, 2020
I’ll
Happily read this book to the kiddos every night. Not sure what it is but I love both the repetition and the kind hearted nature of the good knight. And baby dragons in pjs? So cute! Living in a house overflowing with kiddo books this is a hidden gem!
Happily read this book to the kiddos every night. Not sure what it is but I love both the repetition and the kind hearted nature of the good knight. And baby dragons in pjs? So cute! Living in a house overflowing with kiddo books this is a hidden gem!
March 28, 2023
A really cute read about a knight who is getting ready for bed. Then he hears a noise. Three little dragons are the sound of the noise. And they want a bedtime story. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happened next.
May 14, 2025
We read this rythmic book again, and again, to where the three-year-old knew every time I'd say 'roar', and she roared for me.
A sweet story about a good knight, three good little dragons, and the rigors and sweetness of bedtime. ☺️
Fun for those learning to read, and those not quite reading yet.
A sweet story about a good knight, three good little dragons, and the rigors and sweetness of bedtime. ☺️
Fun for those learning to read, and those not quite reading yet.
March 5, 2017
So cute!!
October 31, 2017
This easy reader features a knight putting three dragons to bed. Cute how much the dragons are like kids. length is one on one.
April 3, 2018
Nice play on words (Night and Knight)
A very relate able story for kids. What do they do when they go to bed?
Cute ending
A very relate able story for kids. What do they do when they go to bed?
Cute ending
January 1, 2019
Great bedtime story.
July 10, 2021
I personally relate to the knight saying, "This is too much."
October 10, 2021
I don't know why I like this so much; perhaps it is the gentleness of the Knight, but it is a favorite.
March 20, 2023
I liked it when it was a bit funny when the Knight gave the tree dragons soups, but they didn't like them and then the last soup was they were like mmmm
June 1, 2023
Expressively written and drolly illustrated.
June 6, 2023
Loved it sooooo much<3
March 13, 2024
E wanted to reread this one immediately after finishing.
April 12, 2025
Cute story of knight's kindness to dragons.
January 31, 2017
D'awwww. This was cute!
Great use of repetition and sound effects.
Great use of repetition and sound effects.
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October 12, 2015Title: Get Well Good Knight
Author: Thomas, Shelley
Illustrator: (Plecas, Jennifer)
Genre: Predictable
Theme(s): Caring, family, fantasy.
Opening line/sentence:
Once there were three little dragon.
They lived in a dark cave.
The cave was in a dense forest.
The forest was in a faraway kingdom.
The poor little dragons
were very lonely
in their deep dark cave.
Brief Book Summary: It is a story about a knight with a good heart. He goes to the forest and finds three little sick dragons. He tries to find the best remedy to help them get better. He uses remedies from a very old wizard, but each of them doesn't work. Finally he goes to the person from whom he got his caring heart and she is able to help.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: (Kirkus Reviews
Ah-choo! The three little dragons are sick and the Good Knight (Good Night, Good Knight, 1999) once again comes to the rescue. While riding through the forest, keeping watch over everything and everyone, the Good Knight hears a sneeze. He finds his dragon friends in their cave, hot with fever, noses running, and teeth "chat-chat-chattering." He visits the old wizard for a concoction that will cure the sick dragons. These little dragons are sick, but they are not sick enough to scarf down a nasty soup made of fish scales, old snails, fingernails, and lizard tails. Undaunted, our hero turns repeatedly to the wizard, who comes up with revolting concoctions that the sick but discerning dragons repeatedly reject. Finally, our Good Knight turns to the person he should have turned to in the first place—his mother. She throws in a little of this and a little of that and comes up with something that makes them slurp the soup until every drop is gone. Plecas’s endearing, whimsical illustrations record every detail, from the hero’s greenish cheeks and pale extended tongue spitting out some slimy concoction to the exhausted droopy dragon eyelids. Repeated phrases and familiar, amusing situations are the recipe for a tale that will not lose its flavor when read over and over. Emerging readers will read this one again and again, every delicious word. Long live the Good Knight! (Easy reader. 4-8)
)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: (School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2-As in Good Night, Good Knight (Dutton, 2000), Thomas and Plecas bring engaging twists to familiar story elements for beginning readers. Here the knight finds his three little dragon friends suffering with terrible colds and the noble fellow sets off to seek a healing potion. The wizard's "scaly, snail-y soup" is too dreadful to eat and his slimy, grimy brew equally distasteful, so the knight asks his mother for help. With a "little of this and a little of that," she prepares a delicious cure. Plecas's cartoon illustrations have requisite picture clues, cheerful colors, and lots of details. Ingredients for the wizard's concoctions are printed in bold type over the steam coming from his pot. Dragons whose expressions are oh-so-miserably sick miraculously beam with health and vitality on the last page. This is a royal treat to soothe any beginning reader's blues and will inspire repeated readings.-Laura Scott, Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, MI Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: (The Good Knight was trying to give them something in order for them to feel better. I do agree with both reviews that this is an effective repetition book that will make emerging readers feel good about reading. The repetition pattern is what makes this book a predictable book.)
Evaluation of Literary Elements: (The pictures are funny looking. The vocabulary is perfect for beginner readers. It has familiar events which allow kids to make connections with the story, when the dragons do not want to eat something because it looks “weird”.)
Consideration of Instructional Application: (One activity that can be done with students is to make list of things they can do or eat when they do not feel good. )
Author: Thomas, Shelley
Illustrator: (Plecas, Jennifer)
Genre: Predictable
Theme(s): Caring, family, fantasy.
Opening line/sentence:
Once there were three little dragon.
They lived in a dark cave.
The cave was in a dense forest.
The forest was in a faraway kingdom.
The poor little dragons
were very lonely
in their deep dark cave.
Brief Book Summary: It is a story about a knight with a good heart. He goes to the forest and finds three little sick dragons. He tries to find the best remedy to help them get better. He uses remedies from a very old wizard, but each of them doesn't work. Finally he goes to the person from whom he got his caring heart and she is able to help.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: (Kirkus Reviews
Ah-choo! The three little dragons are sick and the Good Knight (Good Night, Good Knight, 1999) once again comes to the rescue. While riding through the forest, keeping watch over everything and everyone, the Good Knight hears a sneeze. He finds his dragon friends in their cave, hot with fever, noses running, and teeth "chat-chat-chattering." He visits the old wizard for a concoction that will cure the sick dragons. These little dragons are sick, but they are not sick enough to scarf down a nasty soup made of fish scales, old snails, fingernails, and lizard tails. Undaunted, our hero turns repeatedly to the wizard, who comes up with revolting concoctions that the sick but discerning dragons repeatedly reject. Finally, our Good Knight turns to the person he should have turned to in the first place—his mother. She throws in a little of this and a little of that and comes up with something that makes them slurp the soup until every drop is gone. Plecas’s endearing, whimsical illustrations record every detail, from the hero’s greenish cheeks and pale extended tongue spitting out some slimy concoction to the exhausted droopy dragon eyelids. Repeated phrases and familiar, amusing situations are the recipe for a tale that will not lose its flavor when read over and over. Emerging readers will read this one again and again, every delicious word. Long live the Good Knight! (Easy reader. 4-8)
)
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: (School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2-As in Good Night, Good Knight (Dutton, 2000), Thomas and Plecas bring engaging twists to familiar story elements for beginning readers. Here the knight finds his three little dragon friends suffering with terrible colds and the noble fellow sets off to seek a healing potion. The wizard's "scaly, snail-y soup" is too dreadful to eat and his slimy, grimy brew equally distasteful, so the knight asks his mother for help. With a "little of this and a little of that," she prepares a delicious cure. Plecas's cartoon illustrations have requisite picture clues, cheerful colors, and lots of details. Ingredients for the wizard's concoctions are printed in bold type over the steam coming from his pot. Dragons whose expressions are oh-so-miserably sick miraculously beam with health and vitality on the last page. This is a royal treat to soothe any beginning reader's blues and will inspire repeated readings.-Laura Scott, Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, MI Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.)
Response to Two Professional Reviews: (The Good Knight was trying to give them something in order for them to feel better. I do agree with both reviews that this is an effective repetition book that will make emerging readers feel good about reading. The repetition pattern is what makes this book a predictable book.)
Evaluation of Literary Elements: (The pictures are funny looking. The vocabulary is perfect for beginner readers. It has familiar events which allow kids to make connections with the story, when the dragons do not want to eat something because it looks “weird”.)
Consideration of Instructional Application: (One activity that can be done with students is to make list of things they can do or eat when they do not feel good. )
February 16, 2017
This book was so cute and fun! I got it at the library even though it was a little young for my girls. They still loved it ;)
September 26, 2011
This is absolutely a bedtime story. For this reason, I'm not sure that I would keep it in my classroom library, I don't think that my students would really enjoy reading about little dragons falling asleep. Possibly if I end up teaching a very young grade (kindergarten or preschool) I could read this book to my kids before nap time! I like that this story is about a Knight helping out little dragons. This sort of goes against the norm of how fairytale stories typically play out with this list of characters. I couldn't really tell what this book was about from looking at the cover, however, I understood after reading about the first dragon. That made me think that this was going to be a sort of "Three Little Pigs" story, but it wasn't quite the same. The whole book book was pretty repetitive, but overall, I thought this was a very nice story, and would recommend it to a very young group of students.
November 9, 2011
We're wrapping up a dinosaur unit with first grade and the final library media lesson compares dragons and dinosaurs. I chose a few fun and quick books featuring dragons, including Good Night, Good Knight. As soon as I held it up, five students lit up and exclaimed that they LOVE this book.
Even though it's an easy reader book, it still makes a great, though long and somewhat repetitive, read aloud. We loved the sound effects and I enjoyed giving the dragons and knight voices.
I don't think that this is a story to build a lesson around but it made a fun, quick read aloud. Since the dragons are getting ready for bed, it definitely is very much a bedtime story. Recommended for ages 4 - 6. Younger, experienced listeners will also like it as a read aloud.
Even though it's an easy reader book, it still makes a great, though long and somewhat repetitive, read aloud. We loved the sound effects and I enjoyed giving the dragons and knight voices.
I don't think that this is a story to build a lesson around but it made a fun, quick read aloud. Since the dragons are getting ready for bed, it definitely is very much a bedtime story. Recommended for ages 4 - 6. Younger, experienced listeners will also like it as a read aloud.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews