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Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight
One day, Isaac Thompson is just your average fifth grader playing the part of a porcupine in the school play. The next, he has strayed into a mysterious subterranean realm that has been lurking beneath his school Castle Elementary and launches his quest to knighthood. When Isaac's little sister Lily goes missing from their school's creepy basement, he and his best friends Max and Emma set out in search of her. Their search takes them to the Underground, where they encounter an army of spear-wielding rats, a talking human-sized bat, and a thumb-nosed prison guard. But humans who stay in the Underground too long transform into weird, unpleasant creatures and are forced to work for the horrible Elf King. Can Isaac and his crew escape the Underground before it's too late for them to ever return home?
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2015
56 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Gibson
1 book13 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 26, 2016
If you have a young reader that loves adventure stories, this one is definitely for them. It is action packed, fantastic fun, and full of imagination. I am ashamed to admit it, but I am surprised by how much I enjoyed this story.
What this story is about is Isaac, his little sister Lily, and his two friends. One day they are at school practicing for the school play and the next thing they know they are in a whole different world underground. One that has elves, enlarged animals that can talk, and a whole bunch of other extremely weird creatures. Actually, the weird creatures are just humans that have made their way to the elves in the underground and are some where in the long process of transforming into an elf themselves.
The price for becoming an elf and receiving the immortality that comes with it is a lot, you have to be willing to become almost anything in the process. There is no telling what kind of changes you will go through. You could become invisible, you might become a giant ear, end up with the butt of a firefly, the options are as endless as your imagination!
Why did Isaac and his friends end up in this world? Well, Isaac is the reason that Lily's jewel gem (it's a piece of her toy crown) got lost. Then while they were looking for it, Lily disappeared. Then they found a tunnel that led to the underground trying to find Lily...and well they had to rescue her and get her back home! Or else Isaac's mom would be pretty upset...
This story will have your reader (or you!) going from the beginning to the end. It is going to be hard to get them to put it down. It is a safe story with nothing too scary, except for some giant rats, but they are actually quite humorous. Do not be surprised if you hear a good bit of laughter while in the presence of reading this.
The whole world is very imaginative and I am super impressed. Currently this is the only book out that takes place in this world, but I am hoping that Douglas Gibson will be writing more and soon!
My Rating
4.5 Stars
This review is based on a copy provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/
What this story is about is Isaac, his little sister Lily, and his two friends. One day they are at school practicing for the school play and the next thing they know they are in a whole different world underground. One that has elves, enlarged animals that can talk, and a whole bunch of other extremely weird creatures. Actually, the weird creatures are just humans that have made their way to the elves in the underground and are some where in the long process of transforming into an elf themselves.
The price for becoming an elf and receiving the immortality that comes with it is a lot, you have to be willing to become almost anything in the process. There is no telling what kind of changes you will go through. You could become invisible, you might become a giant ear, end up with the butt of a firefly, the options are as endless as your imagination!
Why did Isaac and his friends end up in this world? Well, Isaac is the reason that Lily's jewel gem (it's a piece of her toy crown) got lost. Then while they were looking for it, Lily disappeared. Then they found a tunnel that led to the underground trying to find Lily...and well they had to rescue her and get her back home! Or else Isaac's mom would be pretty upset...
This story will have your reader (or you!) going from the beginning to the end. It is going to be hard to get them to put it down. It is a safe story with nothing too scary, except for some giant rats, but they are actually quite humorous. Do not be surprised if you hear a good bit of laughter while in the presence of reading this.
The whole world is very imaginative and I am super impressed. Currently this is the only book out that takes place in this world, but I am hoping that Douglas Gibson will be writing more and soon!
My Rating
4.5 Stars
This review is based on a copy provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/
October 12, 2016
I was very happy to be asked to review Tales of a Fifth Grade Knight by Douglas Gibson in exchange for a free copy of the book. This is a fun, fast-paced fantasy novel for middle grades. As a librarian, I’d probably offer it to children who are ready to move up from short chapter books like the Magic Treehouse, Time Warp Trio or the Dragon Master series. It should also appeal to children who love tales with knights and quests.
Tales of a Fifth Grade Knight opens with three friends, Isaac, Max and Emma at an after school rehearsal for their class play. The rehearsal runs late and then Isaac’s little sister Lily is nowhere to be found. Angry at Lily for making them even later, Isaac behaves badly, causing Lily to lose the plastic gem from her pretend crown. A repentant Isaac and friends search for the gem even though it takes them into the school’s creepy basement---where they get locked in! Leave it to Lily to find a secret exit and get lost again. They three friends are in for more than they bargained for when they follow Lily through a tunnel and into a city of elves and their servants. How will the three ever find Lily there?
Douglas does a great job of creating oddly fantastic characters or “grotesques” such as a giant ear with legs and an army of guard rats that may not be the sharpest crayons in the box. This is a talent that he shares with Tony Abbott, as shown in The Secrets of Droon series and L. Frank Baum, author of the Wizard of Oz. He relies on his own imagination rather than using standard fantasy characters such as goblins and pixies. Sure there are elves in this story but there are a lot of uniquely strange creatures as well.
Isaac and his friends Max and Emma make a terrific ensemble, each with their own strengths to contribute to the group as a whole. While Isaac isn’t very nice to his sister in the beginning, he more than makes up for his behavior before the end of the book and shows he has the makings of a good leader. Max has knowledge of knights and quest stories and turns out to be a pretty fair riddle maker as well. Emma finds she has more heart and courage than anyone had suspected. Together they are a match for the elves and their servants.
My conclusion is that Tales of a Fifth Grade Knight is a great choice for independent readers or as a read aloud with younger children. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
Tales of a Fifth Grade Knight opens with three friends, Isaac, Max and Emma at an after school rehearsal for their class play. The rehearsal runs late and then Isaac’s little sister Lily is nowhere to be found. Angry at Lily for making them even later, Isaac behaves badly, causing Lily to lose the plastic gem from her pretend crown. A repentant Isaac and friends search for the gem even though it takes them into the school’s creepy basement---where they get locked in! Leave it to Lily to find a secret exit and get lost again. They three friends are in for more than they bargained for when they follow Lily through a tunnel and into a city of elves and their servants. How will the three ever find Lily there?
Douglas does a great job of creating oddly fantastic characters or “grotesques” such as a giant ear with legs and an army of guard rats that may not be the sharpest crayons in the box. This is a talent that he shares with Tony Abbott, as shown in The Secrets of Droon series and L. Frank Baum, author of the Wizard of Oz. He relies on his own imagination rather than using standard fantasy characters such as goblins and pixies. Sure there are elves in this story but there are a lot of uniquely strange creatures as well.
Isaac and his friends Max and Emma make a terrific ensemble, each with their own strengths to contribute to the group as a whole. While Isaac isn’t very nice to his sister in the beginning, he more than makes up for his behavior before the end of the book and shows he has the makings of a good leader. Max has knowledge of knights and quest stories and turns out to be a pretty fair riddle maker as well. Emma finds she has more heart and courage than anyone had suspected. Together they are a match for the elves and their servants.
My conclusion is that Tales of a Fifth Grade Knight is a great choice for independent readers or as a read aloud with younger children. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 14, 2015
A Fun, Engaging Rendition of the Hero’s Journey for Middle Grade Readers
My son and I loved reading this book. The main character Isaac is, in his own words, “nothing special” but once he stumbles into the Underground, you’ll see that he is, indeed, very special.
What I love about this book is that it leads its main characters, Isaac, Emma and Max on a Hero’s Journey and takes readers along for the ride.
Tales of a Fifth Grade Knight is a fun, engaging rendition of the Hero’s Journey, complete with a Call to Adventure (Isaac’s lost sister, Lily, goes missing and he and his friends have to find her), and a Crossing of the Threshold (into the Underground).
True to type, too, the story features Allies (there’s a cool bat creature named Acro who helps Isaac), Enemies (rats with spears!), Tests (including a riddle contest), Rewards (knighthood!) and a Hero’s Return in which the world seems new again.
Kids will learn a lot about friendship and courage while reading this book and, like Isaac and his friends, they will find that they are a lot braver and more resourceful in the face of truly challenging and undesirable circumstance than they ever imagined.
I hope there will be many more adventures for Isaac and his friends in the future!
My son and I loved reading this book. The main character Isaac is, in his own words, “nothing special” but once he stumbles into the Underground, you’ll see that he is, indeed, very special.
What I love about this book is that it leads its main characters, Isaac, Emma and Max on a Hero’s Journey and takes readers along for the ride.
Tales of a Fifth Grade Knight is a fun, engaging rendition of the Hero’s Journey, complete with a Call to Adventure (Isaac’s lost sister, Lily, goes missing and he and his friends have to find her), and a Crossing of the Threshold (into the Underground).
True to type, too, the story features Allies (there’s a cool bat creature named Acro who helps Isaac), Enemies (rats with spears!), Tests (including a riddle contest), Rewards (knighthood!) and a Hero’s Return in which the world seems new again.
Kids will learn a lot about friendship and courage while reading this book and, like Isaac and his friends, they will find that they are a lot braver and more resourceful in the face of truly challenging and undesirable circumstance than they ever imagined.
I hope there will be many more adventures for Isaac and his friends in the future!
November 24, 2015
This is such a cute story! Isaac and his friends, through a series of accidents, find themselves in another land hunting for his little sister. The Underground is full of some really great ideas. I particularly enjoyed the concept of how newcomers became elves. Seeing the various stages of transformation as they met the residents of the Underground was great - I especially liked the ear-man.
But things get very serious when they find out they may not be able to leave. None of them are too keen on sticking around to see what they might be turning in to. Lily is especially vulnerable to this change and they need to get her out fast!
Not all the creatures they run into are good or bad. There are quite a few that are just trying to get on with their lives - a very great mix. The ending is quite nice, but I hope Lily learns a bit of a lesson out of the whole thing. Hopefully we'll see more in this world. The author left it open for another adventure, but still wrapped this one up very nicely.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review* - See more at: http://www.hotofftheshelves.com/2015/...
But things get very serious when they find out they may not be able to leave. None of them are too keen on sticking around to see what they might be turning in to. Lily is especially vulnerable to this change and they need to get her out fast!
Not all the creatures they run into are good or bad. There are quite a few that are just trying to get on with their lives - a very great mix. The ending is quite nice, but I hope Lily learns a bit of a lesson out of the whole thing. Hopefully we'll see more in this world. The author left it open for another adventure, but still wrapped this one up very nicely.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review* - See more at: http://www.hotofftheshelves.com/2015/...
December 10, 2015
I received my book of Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight by Douglas Gibson and instantly it put a smile on my face. Such a great looking book, I was ready to jump right in and see if the story is as cute as the beautiful hard cover copy I was holding in my hands.
The adventure begins with Isaac and his best pals Max and Emma practicing for their school (Bennettsville Elementary School) performance. Lily, Isaac's sister had been playing with her "Elfself" dolls while waiting on her brother. When all is done and they decide to head home Isaac realizes he forgot about his sister..heads back to get her..she is engrossed in her play..heading out together they realize that Lily's gem has fallen off of her crown and has landed somewhere in the schools very creepy Janitors basement. The group of kids go after the gem...one thing leads to another, Lily goes missing..they find a dark passageway with clues that Lily went in that direction and they find themselves going down a tunnel that leads to an underground realm where everything is not normal and "weirding" IS the norm in this little odd world of strange creatures with even stranger names. Isaac, Max, and Emma are on a mission to find Lily but it is not easy and they find themselves in very strange situations.
I must say I especially loved the way the book was written. There was some funny moments...great little quips throughout..the riddles were brilliant and the sarcasm was perfect. I found myself thinking on more than one occasion that I could really see this book being a great movie for kids of all ages (something like the movie Coraline and the way it was made definitely comes to mind). It had just the right amount of strangeness to keep kids captivated and a brilliant way of bringing on the suspense in that great heroic youthful. Kids would easily become entranced in such a read. I also loved the quality of the book...such an attractive solid quality feel to my hardcover copy. My only issue (and I'm basically reaching for anything) is that I would have really loved to see some illustrations throughout...maybe at least one per chapter just to help the imagination along and I say this because I really like the cover illustration (and want more). Ok and now that I think about it, I have one other issue...I would have loved to get more into the stories of these odd characters..more of what they did..who where they came from and why they ended up in this Underground World with this crazy Elf King that belches when he speaks and the crazy little fairy lady
I absolutely recommend this book for kids between 3rd to 5th grade...but I actually think this is the kind of book that could easily be enjoyed at all ages.
I received my wonderful hardcover copy of this book in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly did so...
The adventure begins with Isaac and his best pals Max and Emma practicing for their school (Bennettsville Elementary School) performance. Lily, Isaac's sister had been playing with her "Elfself" dolls while waiting on her brother. When all is done and they decide to head home Isaac realizes he forgot about his sister..heads back to get her..she is engrossed in her play..heading out together they realize that Lily's gem has fallen off of her crown and has landed somewhere in the schools very creepy Janitors basement. The group of kids go after the gem...one thing leads to another, Lily goes missing..they find a dark passageway with clues that Lily went in that direction and they find themselves going down a tunnel that leads to an underground realm where everything is not normal and "weirding" IS the norm in this little odd world of strange creatures with even stranger names. Isaac, Max, and Emma are on a mission to find Lily but it is not easy and they find themselves in very strange situations.
I must say I especially loved the way the book was written. There was some funny moments...great little quips throughout..the riddles were brilliant and the sarcasm was perfect. I found myself thinking on more than one occasion that I could really see this book being a great movie for kids of all ages (something like the movie Coraline and the way it was made definitely comes to mind). It had just the right amount of strangeness to keep kids captivated and a brilliant way of bringing on the suspense in that great heroic youthful. Kids would easily become entranced in such a read. I also loved the quality of the book...such an attractive solid quality feel to my hardcover copy. My only issue (and I'm basically reaching for anything) is that I would have really loved to see some illustrations throughout...maybe at least one per chapter just to help the imagination along and I say this because I really like the cover illustration (and want more). Ok and now that I think about it, I have one other issue...I would have loved to get more into the stories of these odd characters..more of what they did..who where they came from and why they ended up in this Underground World with this crazy Elf King that belches when he speaks and the crazy little fairy lady
I absolutely recommend this book for kids between 3rd to 5th grade...but I actually think this is the kind of book that could easily be enjoyed at all ages.
I received my wonderful hardcover copy of this book in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly did so...
October 5, 2016
Thoughts: This was a really fun, creative book! The writing is fast-paced and exciting, the type of book that instantly pulls you into the story and can keep you occupied for hours. I loved Max's character - he has one of my favorite personalities - and liked the touch of humor he added to the story. Isaac is an admirable, likable protagonist that I think most kids my age will be able to relate to. The story was incredibly interesting, and although it was also simple, I think all kids ages 6-11 will enjoy this book. In addition, I loved the creative twists throughout the story - the "Ear" and the "Acro-Bat" being some of my favorites. The high stakes felt very real, so the entire story, I was kept on the edge of my seat. This was a super quick read for me, but I still enjoyed it to the fullest and would definitely recommend it to reluctant readers. In fact, every teacher should have this book in his/her classroom, because it is such a great introduction to reading for kids. Fast-paced, exciting, likable characters, creative story... what more could I ask for? The whole idea of a hidden world under the ground was also very intriguing, something I think kids will really love - TALES OF A FIFTH GRADE KNIGHT had a Chronicles of Narnia feel to it. And the aspect of Isaac's school being an old castle was an awesome touch. Overall, a great book that I would wholeheartedly recommend to any kid my age.
NOTE: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
NOTE: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2015
Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight by Douglas Gibson is a story geared to middle grade students. A group of children accidentally discover a hidden underground world. They meet many odd creatures, some fearsome rats and an elf king who does not want anyone to leave this world once they enter it.
Isaac, whose little sister (Lily) is obsessed by elves. When her "gem jewel" falls out of her crown and goes down the stairs into the Bennettsville Elementary School’s basement she, Issac and his friends Max and Emma try to find it. Suddenly they turn around and Lily has disappeared. Max and Emma join Isaac on this search to find Lily before they all get “weirded” out in the land of ‘the Underground.’ They need to escape quickly as they are changing into creatures of the kingdom and if they don’t escape they will have to stay and serve the Elf King. There are some riddles in the story that will make people think which is always a good thing.
I am hoping that there will be more adventures with this group of friends as I think it will be a draw for middle grade students, especially some of those reluctant male readers.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Isaac, whose little sister (Lily) is obsessed by elves. When her "gem jewel" falls out of her crown and goes down the stairs into the Bennettsville Elementary School’s basement she, Issac and his friends Max and Emma try to find it. Suddenly they turn around and Lily has disappeared. Max and Emma join Isaac on this search to find Lily before they all get “weirded” out in the land of ‘the Underground.’ They need to escape quickly as they are changing into creatures of the kingdom and if they don’t escape they will have to stay and serve the Elf King. There are some riddles in the story that will make people think which is always a good thing.
I am hoping that there will be more adventures with this group of friends as I think it will be a draw for middle grade students, especially some of those reluctant male readers.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2017
Gibson's "Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight" rings true with the voice of a fifth grade boy which allows for kids in middles grades to immediately connect with Isaac as he looks for his sister who is lost due, in part, to his actions. His search takes him, along with his two friends Max and Emma, into a hidden world located directly underneath his school and filled with strange beings, castles, and elven magic. Readers in grades 3 through 6 will be engaged right from the beginning as Gibson wastes little time getting to the good stuff--vividly described oversized bats who no longer fly, but have other talents, "weirded" humans who are in-between a human state and a elven one, soldier rats with swords, and an elven king who gives a rousing burp for a dinner speech! Truly great material for all readers in the targeted age group, but especially for those students labeled as reluctant readers. "Tales" leaves room for many sequels, and, as a librarian always looking for books to put into the hands of kids who don't care to read, I am hoping that Gibson continues writing about Isaac, his friends, and the world of the Underground.
September 17, 2016
This book is geared towards the reader age of 9-12. I thought this book was age appropriate. Everything from the characters to the story itself was entertaining. Who knew there was such an intriguing and a little scary world residing under Isaac's school. Yet, I guess I should not be that surprised when your school is an old castle. Besides Isaac; his friends Max and Emma was cool and so was Isaac's little sister, Lily. Although, at times I know Isaac would not think Lily was so cool. He is like any typical big brother but when it really counts he is a good protector.
The Elf King was horrible but all of the creatures of the Underworld were just as horrible if not scary with the spear-wielding rats, talking human-sized bat, and the thumb-nosed prison guard. Which actually having a thumb on the end of your nose could come in handy. As if you could not already tell, I had such a fun time reading this book. I know my nephews will as well. Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight is a shining gem of a read!
The Elf King was horrible but all of the creatures of the Underworld were just as horrible if not scary with the spear-wielding rats, talking human-sized bat, and the thumb-nosed prison guard. Which actually having a thumb on the end of your nose could come in handy. As if you could not already tell, I had such a fun time reading this book. I know my nephews will as well. Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight is a shining gem of a read!
October 6, 2015
For full review please go to: 5girlsbookreviews.blogspot.com, Twitter @camartinez, Facebook "5 Girls Book Reviews"
REVIEW BY: Arianna, age 12 years, 10 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
This is a really good and super funny book!
My favorite part is when the rats keep shouting "HAA!" because it makes me laugh so hard I fell out of my chair!
My favorite character is "Fred the Acro-Bat" because he is really awesome and sweet, not to mention his cool secret that you find out at the end!
REVIEW BY: Arianna, age 12 years, 10 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
This is a really good and super funny book!
My favorite part is when the rats keep shouting "HAA!" because it makes me laugh so hard I fell out of my chair!
My favorite character is "Fred the Acro-Bat" because he is really awesome and sweet, not to mention his cool secret that you find out at the end!
January 4, 2016
Fast paced, fun, even a little witty.
February 21, 2020
Since before Orpheus headed into Hades to rescue Eurydice, heroes have been going underground to return lost souls. This book treads that well worn path, but it adds an engaging crew, a middle grade sensibility, and a few imaginative twists. The result is a fast-paced and entertaining fantasy adventure.
Isaac's little sister Lily is obsessed with elves. When the jewel from her "elf crown" falls off and rolls down the basement steps at her school she chases after it, and disappears. Isaac and his pals Emma and Max head downstairs to retrieve her, but she's gone. MILD SPOILER: Actually, she has gone through a secret door and climbed down a tunnel to "The Underground City". Isaac, Emma and Max go after her, and the adventure begins.
This is a slow starter. Isaac is a bit of whiner, and since this story is told in the first person by Isaac his too-cool-for-school tone is a bit grating. But wait, that's only the first chapter or two, so don't be discouraged. Once we hit the Underground City the author hits his stride, the characters settle down, and everyone becomes more interesting and more appealing. That's also true of Emma, who drops her hectoring goodie persona in order to channel her inner Hermione Granger. Ditto for Max, who loses his hyper nutsy fantasy gamer style to become a reliable wingman.
So, there we all are on the shore of the sea that surrounds the Underground City. MILD SPOILER: We are met by an invisible guy who answers some questions and an Acro-Bat, who is our gondolier for the day. This is where the book really starts. Invisible guy's interaction with the three adventurers is really very funny and features some witty dialogue and observations by Isaac. The Acro-Bat is actually cool in a dry, deadpan sort of way. This is the point at which I decided this book was not just going to be a bland rehash.
The basic angle in the Underground City, MEDIUM SPOILER, is that people from Earth try to get there so that they can stay and slowly transform into elves. The transformation takes them through deeply weird shapes and body part configurations, and it takes a while. As a consequence, everyone in the Underground City that we meet is a deeply weird jumble - one guy is an ear with legs, one woman is a squirrel, one woman has a firefly butt. You get the idea. Somehow this is written in a way that it doesn't become tiring or precious, which is itself quite an accomplishment.
Anyway, we have the usual welcome to the City, misunderstandings, chases, escapes, search for the little sister, intrigue, riddles, more chases, more escapes, and so on. It's all very fast paced and it's all punctuated with clever little bits of Underground City weirdness. And all of the heroes continue to develop in appealing ways, so you don't get tired of them.
The upshot is that this book was a lot more inventive and entertaining than I expected, and it carried off its weirdness with style. You get a modern, more adventurous, less literary "Alice in Wonderland" feeling from the project, and that's not a bad thing.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
Isaac's little sister Lily is obsessed with elves. When the jewel from her "elf crown" falls off and rolls down the basement steps at her school she chases after it, and disappears. Isaac and his pals Emma and Max head downstairs to retrieve her, but she's gone. MILD SPOILER: Actually, she has gone through a secret door and climbed down a tunnel to "The Underground City". Isaac, Emma and Max go after her, and the adventure begins.
This is a slow starter. Isaac is a bit of whiner, and since this story is told in the first person by Isaac his too-cool-for-school tone is a bit grating. But wait, that's only the first chapter or two, so don't be discouraged. Once we hit the Underground City the author hits his stride, the characters settle down, and everyone becomes more interesting and more appealing. That's also true of Emma, who drops her hectoring goodie persona in order to channel her inner Hermione Granger. Ditto for Max, who loses his hyper nutsy fantasy gamer style to become a reliable wingman.
So, there we all are on the shore of the sea that surrounds the Underground City. MILD SPOILER: We are met by an invisible guy who answers some questions and an Acro-Bat, who is our gondolier for the day. This is where the book really starts. Invisible guy's interaction with the three adventurers is really very funny and features some witty dialogue and observations by Isaac. The Acro-Bat is actually cool in a dry, deadpan sort of way. This is the point at which I decided this book was not just going to be a bland rehash.
The basic angle in the Underground City, MEDIUM SPOILER, is that people from Earth try to get there so that they can stay and slowly transform into elves. The transformation takes them through deeply weird shapes and body part configurations, and it takes a while. As a consequence, everyone in the Underground City that we meet is a deeply weird jumble - one guy is an ear with legs, one woman is a squirrel, one woman has a firefly butt. You get the idea. Somehow this is written in a way that it doesn't become tiring or precious, which is itself quite an accomplishment.
Anyway, we have the usual welcome to the City, misunderstandings, chases, escapes, search for the little sister, intrigue, riddles, more chases, more escapes, and so on. It's all very fast paced and it's all punctuated with clever little bits of Underground City weirdness. And all of the heroes continue to develop in appealing ways, so you don't get tired of them.
The upshot is that this book was a lot more inventive and entertaining than I expected, and it carried off its weirdness with style. You get a modern, more adventurous, less literary "Alice in Wonderland" feeling from the project, and that's not a bad thing.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
November 16, 2025
I really wanted to let like this novel lot, as the concept sounded so cool, but there were parts of it that were so dry, I almost stopped reading it. However, I am happy I was stubborn and read this book until it's end because it was satisfying.
Our cast of characters consist of a haphazard group of friends and strange people/beings of the Underground. Isaac is trying to be a good big brother, setting out to rescue his little sister from this fantasy world she Alice and Wonderland-ed herself into. His friends, Max and Emma, are an odd pair, like opposite ends of the "lance" Max is determined to carry around. Lily...well, she's your typical annoying sibling, and she gets everyone in trouble for it.
The storyline itself was okay. I appreciate the concept and creativity, but the way it was written made this story fall short of it's potential. It was hard to stay engaged at times because of how the characters were written. There are also parts of this that should've had a trigger warning (slavery to specific) as it was a surprising piece to read in a story geared toward middle-grader. However, more than this, some of this just wasn't believable. For instance, the way time past between the two different worlds and the people who chose to stay. It's hard to believe there's that many people that came to the Underground and stayed, but there's no indication if they are considered a missing person in the Aboveground. Perhaps it was left out as it didn't pertain to the core group of characters, but it still made this all less believable, which took away from me getting fully immersed into the story.
Overall, I can see the appeal to the story, but it is not something I would ever consider reading again. I honestly probably wouldn't read this students myself either; there are similar stories out there that are better than this. Still, it was an okay read, it just wasn't overwhelmingly great.
Our cast of characters consist of a haphazard group of friends and strange people/beings of the Underground. Isaac is trying to be a good big brother, setting out to rescue his little sister from this fantasy world she Alice and Wonderland-ed herself into. His friends, Max and Emma, are an odd pair, like opposite ends of the "lance" Max is determined to carry around. Lily...well, she's your typical annoying sibling, and she gets everyone in trouble for it.
The storyline itself was okay. I appreciate the concept and creativity, but the way it was written made this story fall short of it's potential. It was hard to stay engaged at times because of how the characters were written. There are also parts of this that should've had a trigger warning (slavery to specific) as it was a surprising piece to read in a story geared toward middle-grader. However, more than this, some of this just wasn't believable. For instance, the way time past between the two different worlds and the people who chose to stay. It's hard to believe there's that many people that came to the Underground and stayed, but there's no indication if they are considered a missing person in the Aboveground. Perhaps it was left out as it didn't pertain to the core group of characters, but it still made this all less believable, which took away from me getting fully immersed into the story.
Overall, I can see the appeal to the story, but it is not something I would ever consider reading again. I honestly probably wouldn't read this students myself either; there are similar stories out there that are better than this. Still, it was an okay read, it just wasn't overwhelmingly great.
December 13, 2017
The book is called Tales of a Fifth-Grade KNIGHT. The author of this book is Douglas Gibson, I wasn't really affected by is because it is a fiction book. The book is about a character named Isaac and he lost his sister jewel from her doll and they went into a underground town and had to get the jewel back and escape from the city they got help by a flying rat who helped them escaped.
Some things the author does that affects the book is how he really describes the characters and shows how the people from the real world are different from the underground city, like on page 33 it sais “He was the size of a grown up but had a face of a bat, with a long nose and jaw to match” also said “ a pair of fangs coming out of his mouth, he also had leathery.”
I would recommend this book to anyone because it is a very good book and the author is very good as describing the character in the book and he also explains everything in detail. The book was good because it was funny and also weird because the people who live there are different from the regular city. The book wasn't confusing at all and it was easy to read. His style of writing is probably different from the other books i read just because how he writes is different.
Some things the author does that affects the book is how he really describes the characters and shows how the people from the real world are different from the underground city, like on page 33 it sais “He was the size of a grown up but had a face of a bat, with a long nose and jaw to match” also said “ a pair of fangs coming out of his mouth, he also had leathery.”
I would recommend this book to anyone because it is a very good book and the author is very good as describing the character in the book and he also explains everything in detail. The book was good because it was funny and also weird because the people who live there are different from the regular city. The book wasn't confusing at all and it was easy to read. His style of writing is probably different from the other books i read just because how he writes is different.
Want to read
April 16, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
October 31, 2021
Fantastic book! I read this along with my 4th grader for a book report and we both loved it!
November 8, 2016
This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.
Wow. This was such a fun book. It kind of reminded me of a Rick Riordan novel, in the way that it takes everyday kids and puts them into crazy scenarios. It's also like Suzanne Collins's Gregor the Overlander books, with its fantastical underground world and societal flaws.
What I really appreciate about Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight is that, despite being part of a genre known for its repackaging of tired old adventure formulas (and despite threatening to follow those cliches during the first few chapters), it not only manages to create an original and interesting world but it also poses some thought-provoking moral questions along the way. The characters make a series of increasingly dark discoveries as the book goes along, exposing the dark side of what seemed at first like such an exciting and ideal kingdom. I don't want to go too much into exactly what those discoveries are, because the book is short enough that I'd be spoiling quite a large percentage of it for you, but suffice it to say that I really enjoyed being taken along for the ride.
Okay, though, now all of you who actually have middle schoolers are thinking that Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight is going to be too dark for your kids. I can't speak for every reader out there, but one of the things that actually impressed me with Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight was that the author managed to pack some thought-provoking scenarios into it while still keeping the story extremely PG. The actual violence is very minimal, and the sense of danger as the kids hunt for Lily is present but never overwhelming. Tales is definitely much less violent than the Gregor the Overlander books I mentioned earlier (and less violent than some of Rick Riordan's books too, now that I think about it). I don't read a huge amount of books in this genre, so I can't tell you how it stacks up among its peers, but I at least enjoyed it. As soon as I hit "publish" on this review I'm passing it on to the best judge of all: my ten-year-old brother, a member of its actual target audience. If his opinion of the book is radically different from my own, then I'll come back here later and add his thoughts to this review.
When's the last time you read a middle-grade fantasy novel? I hadn't read one in ages, and I think I'm getting hooked again. I don't know what to read next, though–comment below with your favorites so I can check them out!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Wow. This was such a fun book. It kind of reminded me of a Rick Riordan novel, in the way that it takes everyday kids and puts them into crazy scenarios. It's also like Suzanne Collins's Gregor the Overlander books, with its fantastical underground world and societal flaws.
What I really appreciate about Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight is that, despite being part of a genre known for its repackaging of tired old adventure formulas (and despite threatening to follow those cliches during the first few chapters), it not only manages to create an original and interesting world but it also poses some thought-provoking moral questions along the way. The characters make a series of increasingly dark discoveries as the book goes along, exposing the dark side of what seemed at first like such an exciting and ideal kingdom. I don't want to go too much into exactly what those discoveries are, because the book is short enough that I'd be spoiling quite a large percentage of it for you, but suffice it to say that I really enjoyed being taken along for the ride.
Okay, though, now all of you who actually have middle schoolers are thinking that Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight is going to be too dark for your kids. I can't speak for every reader out there, but one of the things that actually impressed me with Tales of a Fifth-Grade Knight was that the author managed to pack some thought-provoking scenarios into it while still keeping the story extremely PG. The actual violence is very minimal, and the sense of danger as the kids hunt for Lily is present but never overwhelming. Tales is definitely much less violent than the Gregor the Overlander books I mentioned earlier (and less violent than some of Rick Riordan's books too, now that I think about it). I don't read a huge amount of books in this genre, so I can't tell you how it stacks up among its peers, but I at least enjoyed it. As soon as I hit "publish" on this review I'm passing it on to the best judge of all: my ten-year-old brother, a member of its actual target audience. If his opinion of the book is radically different from my own, then I'll come back here later and add his thoughts to this review.
When's the last time you read a middle-grade fantasy novel? I hadn't read one in ages, and I think I'm getting hooked again. I don't know what to read next, though–comment below with your favorites so I can check them out!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the author in exchange for my honest review.
November 30, 2015
Cute and imaginative.
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