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Mice of the Round Table #1
Mice of the Round Table #1: A Tail of Camelot
An epic new middle grade series in the tradition of Redwall and Poppy, based on Arthurian legend and told from the perspective of Camelot’s most humble creatures: mice
Young mouse Calib Christopher dreams of becoming a Knight of the Round Table. For generations, his family has led the mice who live just out of sight of the humans, defending Camelot from enemies both big and small. But when Calib and his friend Cecily discover that a new threat is gathering—one that could catch even the Two-Leggers unaware—it is up to them to unmask the real enemy, unite their forces, and save the castle they all call home.
With the sweeping adventure of New York Times bestselling series like Wings of Fire and Warriors, Mice of the Round Table brings to life a legendary world of animals and magic that kids will want to return to again and again.
Young mouse Calib Christopher dreams of becoming a Knight of the Round Table. For generations, his family has led the mice who live just out of sight of the humans, defending Camelot from enemies both big and small. But when Calib and his friend Cecily discover that a new threat is gathering—one that could catch even the Two-Leggers unaware—it is up to them to unmask the real enemy, unite their forces, and save the castle they all call home.
With the sweeping adventure of New York Times bestselling series like Wings of Fire and Warriors, Mice of the Round Table brings to life a legendary world of animals and magic that kids will want to return to again and again.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2016
22 people are currently reading
2360 people want to read
About the author
Julie Leung
17 books146 followersJULIE LEUNG is an award-winning author of numerous children’s books. Her picture book, The Truth About Dragons is a Caldecott Honor and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. By day, she works in book publishing. She was raised in the sleepy suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, though it may be more accurate to say she grew up in Oz and came of age in Middle-earth.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
June 10, 2016
I received an advance readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Every mouse of Camelot knows the motto by heart: 'Together in paw and tail, lest divided we fall and fail.' Young Calib Christopher, afraid he's not ready to become a true knight, is about to take that motto to heart.
"Being brave is not about lacking fear," his grandfather tells him. "If you are never scared, you will never understand what it means to be brave."
Calib is definitely afraid. As Camelot faces a mysterious threat, instead of uniting, various factions are pitted against one another. In spite of his fear, but because of his true heart, Calib learns that "there is great power in small warriors."
This mouse is a lovable hero that readers of all ages will enjoy rooting for! Four paws up for the Mice of the Round Table!
Every mouse of Camelot knows the motto by heart: 'Together in paw and tail, lest divided we fall and fail.' Young Calib Christopher, afraid he's not ready to become a true knight, is about to take that motto to heart.
"Being brave is not about lacking fear," his grandfather tells him. "If you are never scared, you will never understand what it means to be brave."
Calib is definitely afraid. As Camelot faces a mysterious threat, instead of uniting, various factions are pitted against one another. In spite of his fear, but because of his true heart, Calib learns that "there is great power in small warriors."
This mouse is a lovable hero that readers of all ages will enjoy rooting for! Four paws up for the Mice of the Round Table!
March 18, 2021
I enjoyed this story so much more than I expected. It is essentially an Arthurian Legend starring a cast of talking animals. A sort of underground animal version of Camelot, that even has its own knights of the round table. It reminded me quite a bit of Tale of Desperaux, with a touch of Redwall and even a bit of Game of Thrones mixed in for good measure.
This story is filled with great messages - even a very small creature can change the world, girls can be commanders and knights, and when everyone works together, amazing things can happen.
Magic, battles, talking animals, and brave heroes - this story has a little bit of everything and would make for a rollicking good read aloud!
This story is filled with great messages - even a very small creature can change the world, girls can be commanders and knights, and when everyone works together, amazing things can happen.
Magic, battles, talking animals, and brave heroes - this story has a little bit of everything and would make for a rollicking good read aloud!
May 23, 2016
MICE OF THE ROUND TABLE is an exciting, satisfying Middle Grade adventure in the tradition of REDWALL with a touch of the spirit of THE LORD OF THE RINGS!
Author Julie Leung creates characters we can really root for (as well as some truly dastardly villains). The foremost of these sympathetic characters is the sensitive, orphaned mouse Calib-- who has far too much to live up to as the last descendant of a brave, famous family line. The story also gives us the human ("Two-Legger") point of view, telling us the experiences of a new, awkward arrival to Camelot: the young Galahad.
Calib and Galahad's parallel adventures, brushes with Old Magic, and interactions with familiar Arthurian characters will keep Middle Graders enthralled, and leave them clamoring for the next book in the series! A great pick for the keeper shelf, or to read aloud in the classroom!
Author Julie Leung creates characters we can really root for (as well as some truly dastardly villains). The foremost of these sympathetic characters is the sensitive, orphaned mouse Calib-- who has far too much to live up to as the last descendant of a brave, famous family line. The story also gives us the human ("Two-Legger") point of view, telling us the experiences of a new, awkward arrival to Camelot: the young Galahad.
Calib and Galahad's parallel adventures, brushes with Old Magic, and interactions with familiar Arthurian characters will keep Middle Graders enthralled, and leave them clamoring for the next book in the series! A great pick for the keeper shelf, or to read aloud in the classroom!
March 30, 2017
This book was difficult to rate because it had so many great messages woven through it. There were not really any gender specific roles within the animal groups. There were examples of not judging others according to race (species), or color (fur). Smaller bullied groups came together, putting aside small differences, making a more formidable group for confronting their enemy. But then there were all of the battle related scenes. So much of the book was given over to war, training for war, and preparing for war. It sucked the positive energy right out of the narrative.
I am not saying there should have been zero warring elements, but the training scenes were too long, the battle strategy meetings took up too many pages, and the fighting scenes themselves... to many and way too long. This book was written in the style of the Redwall books and I love that series. However, more time is spent on daily life and family and friends in the Redwall books. This is a Middle Grade story and that is much more important.
There were also some confusing parts near the end and as I have said before being heavy on the politics is not MG age reader friendly. I was initially impressed by most of the battle injuries ending in wounding with the wounded being taken prisoner, but the final battle scene was a bit over the top for Middle Grade, so once again good points being neutralized by bad elements. The whole "dying in battle is dying with honor" message was a rough edge for me too. I don't think war should be glorified in books, especially in stories for children.
I was approved for an eARC, via Edelweiss, in return for an honest review. I will not be reviewing this on the blog because it is less than four stars.
I am not saying there should have been zero warring elements, but the training scenes were too long, the battle strategy meetings took up too many pages, and the fighting scenes themselves... to many and way too long. This book was written in the style of the Redwall books and I love that series. However, more time is spent on daily life and family and friends in the Redwall books. This is a Middle Grade story and that is much more important.
There were also some confusing parts near the end and as I have said before being heavy on the politics is not MG age reader friendly. I was initially impressed by most of the battle injuries ending in wounding with the wounded being taken prisoner, but the final battle scene was a bit over the top for Middle Grade, so once again good points being neutralized by bad elements. The whole "dying in battle is dying with honor" message was a rough edge for me too. I don't think war should be glorified in books, especially in stories for children.
I was approved for an eARC, via Edelweiss, in return for an honest review. I will not be reviewing this on the blog because it is less than four stars.
March 8, 2018
Someone please make a movie out of this. It’s just pure joy.
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July 21, 2025Found this one at the library and it completely caught my attention. Cute story. If you're kids like Redwall and the Green Ember, this one is right in line with those. I think conservative parents might want to know that a female mouse is one of the lead generals and it's not as noble and subtle as, say, Constance Badger from Redwall. It's a bit of girl power thrown in but not so much that it became overtly obnoxious. Otherwise, clean as a whistle and a nice tie-in to the story of King Arthur and the Sword in the Stone.
September 30, 2016
Oh my goodness! A Tail of Camelot is so fun and cute!
It doesn't hurt that I am a huge fan of the time period that this book takes place in - the time in Camelot where Arthur is King. I love all the stories and mythology that surrounds this time period and the stories that go with it.
So obviously I really needed to read this book.
And I am so incredibly glad I did!
A Tail of Camelot has two sides of the story that you go long with. The majority of the time you are with the mouse Calib Christopher. Calib is in training to become a Knight of Camelot. Yes, that is right! Calib is a Knight, and he and a bunch of other mice, are training to be Knights! No the humans don't know about this, this is a thing that the mice and other animals do in secret out of the view of the humans.
Calib finds himself in the midst of things when things start happening in the animal part of the court. Things that he cannot stand for and that he must find away to fight against. Sadly, no one wants to listen to poor Calib.
Then, the other person we follow along with, though much less, is Galahad. Galahad is the son of Sir Lancelot and is brand new to the court. He is just a young kid about to start his training to become Knight of Camelot. And he too finds himself up against many hardships and tangled in some sticky stuff that no one wants to listen to him about either.
And so the adventure takes place!
So much fun! I found myself instantly sucked into the story and I couldn't put it down until I was done. I haven't read too many books recently where the animals are the main characters, so that made this read all the more refreshing and different for myself.
I actually didn't expect there to be any parts where we are watching the human part of the story unfold, so that was a nice surprise. And I will admit I had to look up who Galahad was so that I knew what was going on. I haven't read too many stories where Arthur is already the King. Most of them have taken place before all of that has really happened.
The whole story is very imaginative and fantastic. I really felt as though I was on the adventure with the characters and I cannot wait until the next one!
This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.
Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/
March 5, 2017
Maybe a 4.5. Slight spoilers in review.
At first glance, A TAIL OF CAMELOT by Julie Leung sounds like a cute MG novel - a retelling of King Arthur and Camelot set in the POV of small, anthropomorphic animals. While this is true, it turned out to be so much more - the rich detail and world-building reminded me of REDWALL and the in-depth characters and humour made me think of THE BLACKTHORN KEY. Leung wowed me with her debut novel - add her to your auto-buy list!
Leung really brings Camelot - the court of the legendary King Arthur - to life. I didn't just imagine a castle with mice dressed in armour, I saw a court of dedicated knights (mice, larks, squirrels), I could taste the food (elderberry wine, soup served in hollowed-out acorns), and I could feel the setting (i.e. sea breeze). This retelling is set during King Arthur's reign, and while there are similarities between the humans and the animals sworn to protect Camelot, Leung gives the main characters their own past, present and future. Something I absolutely loved, becoming a knight (for the animals) is not gender-specific (something we usually see in historical and/or fantasy books) and there's no mention of "why is this character becoming a page/squire/knight, she's a girl" nonsense. The Second-in-Command (and later Commander) is Sir Kensington, a female mouse. We did see a bit of this with the humans. King Arthur is away, so Queen Guinevere proposes a plan to defeat the enemy and the Knights of the Round Table basically refuse to listen to her. One might argue it's because she didn't have the sword in the stone - the knights will listen to anyone who pulls it out - but the fact that they'd rather listen to a 12 year old boy (age may be wrong) who'd pulled out the sword rather than an adult was slightly annoying and maybe even unnecessary.
Calib Christopher was a very likeable character, I could immediately get into his head. He's one of those characters who's shy, doesn't have a lot of confidence in himself and just needs that extra push to realize he is brave and smart. Calib being a likeable character didn't make him stand out though, he felt a bit like an insert-yourself character, which I'm not the hugest fan of. This sort of character, while easily likeable, doesn't completely challenge the reader.
Most of the chapters are in Calib's POV but we also see the perspective of the humans. Told through a 12 year old boy, Galahad comes to Camelot to become a page or squire (can't remember which). He's the son of Sir Lancelot, who he's never met, so there's a lot of pressure and expectations on him. Galahad wasn't my favourite character - he struck me as a bit of a stereotype. Luckily, chapters with Galahad were shorter than Calib's, although it was funny to see how the humans reacted when they witnessed odd animal behaviour. I did like that Leung tries to balance out the male-dominated POV's by introducing Cecily as a main character and someone who helps Calib save Camelot. She was a fun, bold character. Also, the names were the best thing ever and really helped with the world-building (ex. Sir Owen Onewhisker, Devrin Savortooth, General Gaius Thornfeather).
There are some underlying themes of prejudice and discrimination. In the beginning, the animals of Camelot and the Darklings (animals living in nearby woods) are enemies, despite the truce between them. Rumours surrounding the Darklings have basically taken on a life of its own. I loved that as the book progressed, Leung presents a different side to these animals. This isn't too prominent, you really have to be looking for it, but it's something that could be discussed more in the sequel. However, I would have liked to see the POV of the Saxons and weasels, and maybe less of the adding physical traits with negative connotations to the enemy i.e. rotten teeth.
While I found the plot a bit predictable, maybe because I'm familiar with this sort of archetype, MG readers will be delighted at the sort of plot twists Leung lays out for them. A TAIL OF CAMELOT is a must-have for MG readers and I cannot wait to read the sequel. Perfect for fans of REDWALL, this is a great book for introducing readers to historical fantasy and the myth of King Arthur and Camelot.
At first glance, A TAIL OF CAMELOT by Julie Leung sounds like a cute MG novel - a retelling of King Arthur and Camelot set in the POV of small, anthropomorphic animals. While this is true, it turned out to be so much more - the rich detail and world-building reminded me of REDWALL and the in-depth characters and humour made me think of THE BLACKTHORN KEY. Leung wowed me with her debut novel - add her to your auto-buy list!
Leung really brings Camelot - the court of the legendary King Arthur - to life. I didn't just imagine a castle with mice dressed in armour, I saw a court of dedicated knights (mice, larks, squirrels), I could taste the food (elderberry wine, soup served in hollowed-out acorns), and I could feel the setting (i.e. sea breeze). This retelling is set during King Arthur's reign, and while there are similarities between the humans and the animals sworn to protect Camelot, Leung gives the main characters their own past, present and future. Something I absolutely loved, becoming a knight (for the animals) is not gender-specific (something we usually see in historical and/or fantasy books) and there's no mention of "why is this character becoming a page/squire/knight, she's a girl" nonsense. The Second-in-Command (and later Commander) is Sir Kensington, a female mouse. We did see a bit of this with the humans. King Arthur is away, so Queen Guinevere proposes a plan to defeat the enemy and the Knights of the Round Table basically refuse to listen to her. One might argue it's because she didn't have the sword in the stone - the knights will listen to anyone who pulls it out - but the fact that they'd rather listen to a 12 year old boy (age may be wrong) who'd pulled out the sword rather than an adult was slightly annoying and maybe even unnecessary.
Calib Christopher was a very likeable character, I could immediately get into his head. He's one of those characters who's shy, doesn't have a lot of confidence in himself and just needs that extra push to realize he is brave and smart. Calib being a likeable character didn't make him stand out though, he felt a bit like an insert-yourself character, which I'm not the hugest fan of. This sort of character, while easily likeable, doesn't completely challenge the reader.
Most of the chapters are in Calib's POV but we also see the perspective of the humans. Told through a 12 year old boy, Galahad comes to Camelot to become a page or squire (can't remember which). He's the son of Sir Lancelot, who he's never met, so there's a lot of pressure and expectations on him. Galahad wasn't my favourite character - he struck me as a bit of a stereotype. Luckily, chapters with Galahad were shorter than Calib's, although it was funny to see how the humans reacted when they witnessed odd animal behaviour. I did like that Leung tries to balance out the male-dominated POV's by introducing Cecily as a main character and someone who helps Calib save Camelot. She was a fun, bold character. Also, the names were the best thing ever and really helped with the world-building (ex. Sir Owen Onewhisker, Devrin Savortooth, General Gaius Thornfeather).
There are some underlying themes of prejudice and discrimination. In the beginning, the animals of Camelot and the Darklings (animals living in nearby woods) are enemies, despite the truce between them. Rumours surrounding the Darklings have basically taken on a life of its own. I loved that as the book progressed, Leung presents a different side to these animals. This isn't too prominent, you really have to be looking for it, but it's something that could be discussed more in the sequel. However, I would have liked to see the POV of the Saxons and weasels, and maybe less of the adding physical traits with negative connotations to the enemy i.e. rotten teeth.
While I found the plot a bit predictable, maybe because I'm familiar with this sort of archetype, MG readers will be delighted at the sort of plot twists Leung lays out for them. A TAIL OF CAMELOT is a must-have for MG readers and I cannot wait to read the sequel. Perfect for fans of REDWALL, this is a great book for introducing readers to historical fantasy and the myth of King Arthur and Camelot.
November 29, 2022
Imagine Camelot from animals' perspectives. How can wee mice help defend the land from Saxon invaders? Leung has a marvelous imagination for animals living alongside humans. Her sense of murine physicality was even more immersive than other books I've read along these lines--really marvelous. It has the cadence of a great read-aloud, and lots of fun voices to do. A Tail of Camelot reads like a love letter to the genre, but stands on its own with a creative world and hearty hero.
I've never been into Arthurian legends myself, so I can't comment on the references and history of that, but it was quite fun for someone who isn't into that. The dual narratives of Calib (the mouse) and Galahad (the human boy) got a bit confusing at times, but I guess it was effective enough for the story.
A Tail of Camelot showed up in a completely unrelated library search. I'm glad I found it, because it was quite fun. Recommended to Redwall fans. A very different series, but a similar premise.
Also, Leung's author bio is really fun. I can't think of many that stick out without being ~quirky~. Hers is just fun!
Content warnings: wartime violence among animals, character death. Nothing out of the ordinary for the genre/age group.
I've never been into Arthurian legends myself, so I can't comment on the references and history of that, but it was quite fun for someone who isn't into that. The dual narratives of Calib (the mouse) and Galahad (the human boy) got a bit confusing at times, but I guess it was effective enough for the story.
A Tail of Camelot showed up in a completely unrelated library search. I'm glad I found it, because it was quite fun. Recommended to Redwall fans. A very different series, but a similar premise.
Also, Leung's author bio is really fun. I can't think of many that stick out without being ~quirky~. Hers is just fun!
Content warnings: wartime violence among animals, character death. Nothing out of the ordinary for the genre/age group.
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June 21, 2016MICE OF THE ROUND TABLE is a delightful middle grade adventure with a very special hero. Calib tucks into your heart as you root for him throughout his travails. For those who loved the Red Wall series, (which includes both of my boys), they’ll want to scoop up their copy of Mice of the Round Table, find a chair, and settle in. This book kicks off what is sure to be a wonderful series!
I received an arc for an honest review of this story.
I received an arc for an honest review of this story.
December 18, 2018
Torn between 3 and 4 stars.
Firstly, whoever decided to make the pages have deckle/uneven edges, I hate you. I had a hard time sometimes turning the pages, which was annoying during the many tense scenes when I needed to get to that next page quickly!
I definitely saw the influence of The Redwall series while reading this book. At first, it seemed intended for very very young readers, much younger than Redwall's. But then, as the battles intensified, things took a surprisingly dark turn. Redwall gave me my love of reading, and love of reading about mouse heroes, and it was actually the reason why I picked this book up. So it was a nice surprise to see the influences scattered around.
This book takes quite a different turn than we begin with, with a competition that Calib mouse is afraid to participate in. I am actually a little disappointed that there was no conclusion to the tournament, though that would probably add to the cheese factor of the ending (pun not intended).
I think perhaps it might have been better told just from Calib's POV, instead of going along with the two-leggers.
And to find there are more in this series! I might have to take a peek at them. I did enjoy this book.
Firstly, whoever decided to make the pages have deckle/uneven edges, I hate you. I had a hard time sometimes turning the pages, which was annoying during the many tense scenes when I needed to get to that next page quickly!
I definitely saw the influence of The Redwall series while reading this book. At first, it seemed intended for very very young readers, much younger than Redwall's. But then, as the battles intensified, things took a surprisingly dark turn. Redwall gave me my love of reading, and love of reading about mouse heroes, and it was actually the reason why I picked this book up. So it was a nice surprise to see the influences scattered around.
This book takes quite a different turn than we begin with, with a competition that Calib mouse is afraid to participate in. I am actually a little disappointed that there was no conclusion to the tournament, though that would probably add to the cheese factor of the ending (pun not intended).
I think perhaps it might have been better told just from Calib's POV, instead of going along with the two-leggers.
And to find there are more in this series! I might have to take a peek at them. I did enjoy this book.
December 8, 2021
A great romp starring mice of the round able! The story parallels 2 characters, a mouse named Calib Christopher and a twolegger named Galahad. There are rumors of war along with treachery and traitors. Camelot is in trouble. Can it be saved? Why is the sword in the stone back? Is Merlin involved? Great read!
January 26, 2018
It started kinda slow, but it was just a really fun story!
May 11, 2018
This was so much fun! I love stories with talking animals and humans and this one was everything I expected. It was perfect for me. It had action, betrayal, heartbreak, triumph and great characters. It was a well written, fast paced, read. I loved how everything came together. I’m excited to find out what happens next.
May 13, 2025
There’s good messages in here but there’s other books that say it better
July 19, 2016
Read in one sitting, MICE OF THE ROUND TABLE is absolute perfection. It moves at breath-stealing speed, yet is layered in gorgeous, cherishable detail. it's entertaining, whimsical, yet at one point made me cry. Frankly, it's got 'future classic' written all over it.
There are two Camelots. That of the 'two-leggers': left-behind old knights, Arthur's lonely but resourceful queen, and a newly arrived page boy, Galahad. But we spend our time in the Camelot of beasts - mostly mice - who live in every other corner and cranny of the castle.
When tension flares with the Darkling animals of the woods, only one young mouse, Calib Christopher, is resourceful enough to put all the pieces together. And it's not only the animal world that is in danger.
The detailing is exquisite: the mouse-chief sits in a throne made from a broken goblet of Merlin's and wears a circlet that was once a ring lost by Queen Guinevere. The characters are irresistible, from Berwin the last bear in Britain, to the sinister Manderlean, to Calib himself, whose grin "was so big that he wondered if his whiskers had fallen off to make room for it."
I think this is technically a mid-grade novel, but this book is so special that age should be no barrier. This is the second absolutely stonking mid-grade novel I've read recently (the other is 2017's PRISONER OF ICE AND SNOW), so there seems to be something very special happening in this category right now. Both books have the spirit of classics, from THE WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE to John Betjeman, and I adored them.
There are two Camelots. That of the 'two-leggers': left-behind old knights, Arthur's lonely but resourceful queen, and a newly arrived page boy, Galahad. But we spend our time in the Camelot of beasts - mostly mice - who live in every other corner and cranny of the castle.
When tension flares with the Darkling animals of the woods, only one young mouse, Calib Christopher, is resourceful enough to put all the pieces together. And it's not only the animal world that is in danger.
The detailing is exquisite: the mouse-chief sits in a throne made from a broken goblet of Merlin's and wears a circlet that was once a ring lost by Queen Guinevere. The characters are irresistible, from Berwin the last bear in Britain, to the sinister Manderlean, to Calib himself, whose grin "was so big that he wondered if his whiskers had fallen off to make room for it."
I think this is technically a mid-grade novel, but this book is so special that age should be no barrier. This is the second absolutely stonking mid-grade novel I've read recently (the other is 2017's PRISONER OF ICE AND SNOW), so there seems to be something very special happening in this category right now. Both books have the spirit of classics, from THE WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE to John Betjeman, and I adored them.
February 18, 2017
Thoughts: This book pulled me right in from the start and never let go! (I seriously forced myself to stay awake later because this was so good). For whatever reason, I (sadly) normally have low expectations for the books I'm offered to review, but A TAIL OF CAMELOT far exceded those expectations. I was pleasantly surprised by the engaging writing and dynamic characters. Calib is an extremely likable protaganist who's very relatable - the perfect hero for a book like this. The other characters were also all very memorable. I loved the way this book was set up as well - part of the story told through Calib's eyes, part told through Galahad's (Lancelot's son) eyes. The mystery that developed throughout the story added a lot of suspense, making this an extremely gripping read. A TAIL OF CAMELOT has a wonderful moral message, too, but I liked how the reader isn't hit over the head with it. In general, my favorite part about A TAIL OF CAMELOT was the overall creativity. The idea that the battle between good and evil in Camelot is also being fought by Camelot's animals is pure genius. And the adventurous aspect of this book was spot-on as well, making this a fantastic, exciting read for kids of all ages.
All in all, definitely one of my favorite books this year!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All thoughts are my own.
All in all, definitely one of my favorite books this year!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All thoughts are my own.
October 18, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's clever & fun & I can't wait to read it out-loud to my kids! It's a wonderful new entry into the genre we lovingly call, Rodent Adventure, and I know it will thrill the entire family. Perfect for readers of Desperaux, Redwall & The Green Ember but also anyone who loved The Once & Future King and wants to see things from a slightly different perspective. ;)
April 19, 2021
It's Camelot with animals (and people). I like that females and males are equally represented. I like that Guenevere is as important and apparently braver than the knights that Arthur left to protect her. It did leave me both breathless and wanting the story to get on with it. If you've got a kid who likes the Arthur legend, they'll probably love it.
February 15, 2017
Fun little read for kids age 8 plus. ;)
November 28, 2017
“Together in paw and tail, lest divided we fall and fail.” That is what all the mice living in Camelot, living beneath the humans very own Round Table, believe and live by. Though the years of wars past have left their mark, the mice have lived peacefully in Camelot. Yet rumors and evil tidings spring up just as the young mice in training to be knights are about to have their tournament to test their skills. Young Caleb is a Christopher mouse, and hopes to prove himself as worthy of being a knight like his father who died heroically in the war, and his grandfather who leads their clan of mice. But when the evil of the Darklings from the forest threaten the safety and all that the generations of mice before have fought for, Caleb, his miceling friends, and a young human boy, Galahad, must band together to bring all those who stand for goodness and Camelot together to save the day! Together, these unlikely heroes discover “there can be great power even in the smallest warriors.”
This was a cute story about mice, which I seem to have an unexplainable passion for, much in the style of other heroic animal tales by authors like Brian Jacques and M.I. McAllister, among others. I loved the author's bio, with her love of similar authors to mine, and a love of the fanciful book world – and on that alone I felt connected to the characters and the story before I'd even read a word! :)
The plot was fantastic, the characters noble and imaginative. The biggest trouble I had was the writing style was a bit dry and not as descriptive as I prefer. I had a difficult time getting to know so many characters at once in the beginning, keeping them all straight, and even of keeping their genders figured out at one point! :/ Everything is put a little too bluntly put and factual, without being poetic or giving you enough of a visual idea of movement and the characters placement within the story world. The writing has a start-and-stop style that doesn't connect from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph. I would have loved even more description of the story world itself, as well. I know this is a book meant for children, but there is nothing wrong with adding small pieces of information that aren't meant to connect directly into moving the plot along. And, seeing as the author described herself as loving Brian Jacques (a personal favorite, and a very, very descriptive writer) and Tolkein (another descriptive writer) I was honestly disappointed she was not more so in her own story building.
*The magic was low-key, a few “elemental” objects are describe, including the Sword in the Stone, but are not used in the normal way one would associate with this idea – they are relatively just an object. Besides the talking animals, there was only one truly “magical” creature, a man/magician-turned-wolf, who is only a minor character mostly referred to, and only shows up briefly in a couple short scenes – nothing too scary in that respect. This book may scare very sensitive or young readers, as there is quite a bit of darkness referred to, in the woods, in the appearance of shadows, and quite a bit of battling going on, with some mild fighting and injury descriptions.
This is a fun way to introduce kids to King Arthur and Camelot, especially if they are studying the Middle Ages and such. :D It's mainly fiction, however, seeing as it's about the mice. ;) And I loved the moral lessons of working together, standing up for what is right against all odds, and facing your fears that this story held. That is what made me love this book and urged me to keep reading through to the end. I just had to see Calib overcome his fears, inspiring all he met to stand strong together!
“Together in paw and tail, lest divided we fall and fail!” ;) For Camelot!!
This was a cute story about mice, which I seem to have an unexplainable passion for, much in the style of other heroic animal tales by authors like Brian Jacques and M.I. McAllister, among others. I loved the author's bio, with her love of similar authors to mine, and a love of the fanciful book world – and on that alone I felt connected to the characters and the story before I'd even read a word! :)
The plot was fantastic, the characters noble and imaginative. The biggest trouble I had was the writing style was a bit dry and not as descriptive as I prefer. I had a difficult time getting to know so many characters at once in the beginning, keeping them all straight, and even of keeping their genders figured out at one point! :/ Everything is put a little too bluntly put and factual, without being poetic or giving you enough of a visual idea of movement and the characters placement within the story world. The writing has a start-and-stop style that doesn't connect from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph. I would have loved even more description of the story world itself, as well. I know this is a book meant for children, but there is nothing wrong with adding small pieces of information that aren't meant to connect directly into moving the plot along. And, seeing as the author described herself as loving Brian Jacques (a personal favorite, and a very, very descriptive writer) and Tolkein (another descriptive writer) I was honestly disappointed she was not more so in her own story building.
*The magic was low-key, a few “elemental” objects are describe, including the Sword in the Stone, but are not used in the normal way one would associate with this idea – they are relatively just an object. Besides the talking animals, there was only one truly “magical” creature, a man/magician-turned-wolf, who is only a minor character mostly referred to, and only shows up briefly in a couple short scenes – nothing too scary in that respect. This book may scare very sensitive or young readers, as there is quite a bit of darkness referred to, in the woods, in the appearance of shadows, and quite a bit of battling going on, with some mild fighting and injury descriptions.
This is a fun way to introduce kids to King Arthur and Camelot, especially if they are studying the Middle Ages and such. :D It's mainly fiction, however, seeing as it's about the mice. ;) And I loved the moral lessons of working together, standing up for what is right against all odds, and facing your fears that this story held. That is what made me love this book and urged me to keep reading through to the end. I just had to see Calib overcome his fears, inspiring all he met to stand strong together!
“Together in paw and tail, lest divided we fall and fail!” ;) For Camelot!!
March 5, 2017
Calib Christopher, a young mouse of Camelot, dreams of one day being a brave knight like his father and grandfather before him. On the eve of one of the hardest trials of all Camelot's young mouse pages, Calib's grandfather is killed. While everyone suspects the animals from the Darkling Forest, long-time enemies of Camelot's rodent residents, Calib suspects something else. Through his persistent questioning, Calib discovers something much larger is looming before them all. He sets off on a quest to find answers, making unlikely friends and allies along the way including a young human boy named Galahad.
Leung does a fine job swinging the focus from the humans of Arthurian legend to those often overlooked: the animals living in and outside the walls of Camelot. Lush descriptions, flavorful language, and well-written battle scenes make this an immersive story suitable for anyone with an interest in medieval myths. The chapters that feature Galahad are a bit slow and it takes quite a while before his story finally intersects Calib's. The ending is also rather schmaltzy and plays with the details of the Arthurian canon a little bit, which might ruffle the feathers of the more informed reader. The story does focus on two male protagonists, and features mostly male antagonists, leaving only a smattering of diversity among the supporting characters. Leung's tale is still fanciful and enjoyable.
Leung does a fine job swinging the focus from the humans of Arthurian legend to those often overlooked: the animals living in and outside the walls of Camelot. Lush descriptions, flavorful language, and well-written battle scenes make this an immersive story suitable for anyone with an interest in medieval myths. The chapters that feature Galahad are a bit slow and it takes quite a while before his story finally intersects Calib's. The ending is also rather schmaltzy and plays with the details of the Arthurian canon a little bit, which might ruffle the feathers of the more informed reader. The story does focus on two male protagonists, and features mostly male antagonists, leaving only a smattering of diversity among the supporting characters. Leung's tale is still fanciful and enjoyable.
June 17, 2018
This was another re-imagining of the Arthurian Legend. It has both animals and humans, but focuses more on the animals. It has the characters from the legend like Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, Percival, and Guinevere and it takes place in Camelot. I like that the story is a re-imagined tale with a new story as well as having new characters acting as a new Arthur and Merlin while having the human Arthur and Merlin in the story, if that makes sense. I like how there is a relationship between the humans and the animals as characters, one or the other is not ignored. The Sword in the Stone plays a big role in this book, which is a really cool element to bring in. In this book Arthur is not prevalent until I would say the last 80% of the book, the rest of the book he is "away" somewhere which isn't really a spoiler since they state it in the book. The book wasn't slow or boring, the chapters weren't too long, and there was always something happening in each chapter. The books has the idea of two enemies coming together to fight one common enemy. The book also had an awesome climax and an amazing battle scene. One little thing that I thought was interesting, the book had a mixture of elements from Disney's The Sword in the Stone and BBC's tv show Merlin which makes sense because they are all re-imaginings of the legend, but I couldn't help but make those connections as I read.
December 14, 2018
Age – 8+
Two stories in one that entwine as the lives of two kingdoms are at stake.
Calib Christopher is a shy, quiet mouse – nothing like his father or grandfather who were brave mouse knights in battle, and strong rulers of their kingdom – under the floors of Camelot.
Calib wants nothing more to be a honoured knight and carry on the revered Christopher name, but courage is something he hasn’t found yet. When there is an attack on one of their leaders, their kingdom is quick to blame the Darklings – another band of animals they signed a truce with years before.
But the clues left by the assassin weren’t left by a Darkling. Calib tries to convince the knights, but no-one will listen. Can he stop a war with the wrong kind? Can he discover who the true assassin is?
Galahad is a young boy returning to Camelot without his famous father Sir Lancelot. He is scoffed at by the other pages and squires who know he has been living in a nunnery for protection. He is soon banished to the kitchens when unsuccessful at early knight training. When he discovers a mouse that seems to be trying to talk to him, he knows that something important is happening. Can they work together to save Camelot?
A fantastic story! A cross between Narnia and The Knights of the Round Table with a quest to achieve, courage to find and epic battle scenes. Loved it! 1st in a series.
Two stories in one that entwine as the lives of two kingdoms are at stake.
Calib Christopher is a shy, quiet mouse – nothing like his father or grandfather who were brave mouse knights in battle, and strong rulers of their kingdom – under the floors of Camelot.
Calib wants nothing more to be a honoured knight and carry on the revered Christopher name, but courage is something he hasn’t found yet. When there is an attack on one of their leaders, their kingdom is quick to blame the Darklings – another band of animals they signed a truce with years before.
But the clues left by the assassin weren’t left by a Darkling. Calib tries to convince the knights, but no-one will listen. Can he stop a war with the wrong kind? Can he discover who the true assassin is?
Galahad is a young boy returning to Camelot without his famous father Sir Lancelot. He is scoffed at by the other pages and squires who know he has been living in a nunnery for protection. He is soon banished to the kitchens when unsuccessful at early knight training. When he discovers a mouse that seems to be trying to talk to him, he knows that something important is happening. Can they work together to save Camelot?
A fantastic story! A cross between Narnia and The Knights of the Round Table with a quest to achieve, courage to find and epic battle scenes. Loved it! 1st in a series.
April 19, 2022
So, this book was a take on Arthurian myth in which Merlin arranged a secret agreement with animals to guard Camelot from animal foes, just as its knights defend it from human ones (like Saxons). There are parallel story lines of a little mouse named Calib Christopher (scion of a famous line of mouse-knights, of whom great things are expected, but whose father died in battle, and so he was raised by his grandfather) and Galahad, the human son of Sir Lancelot (who has been absent for years, so he was raised in a nunnery and only recently allowed to come to Camelot). Danger stirs, the Saxons (and evil Saxon animals, such as weasels) are returning, and . . . it sounds cute, and it is. Many aspects of how the parallel human and animal worlds would work do not seem well thought-out, though, and the writing is kind of . . . bland. I don't know. I gave it 4/5, I wanted it to be 5/5, but somehow, I just didn't like this one as much.
July 20, 2017
I originally picked this book up because who can resist a punny title? (See what I did there?) But once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. I read most of the book in one day.
It reminded me of a mix between Redwall and The Tale of Despereaux. The world was well built with just a touch of magic. I really liked the way she combined human and animal worlds, even if they couldn't talk to each other.
Calib was a great little protagonist. He was a bit cowardly in the beginning, but as the book progressed, he became a brave mouse. His and Galahad's parallel stories were a nice touch. It was also great to see girls as pages and knights.
This whole book was just amazing. From characters, to plot, to world, everything kept me on my toes and invested in the story all the way through.
It reminded me of a mix between Redwall and The Tale of Despereaux. The world was well built with just a touch of magic. I really liked the way she combined human and animal worlds, even if they couldn't talk to each other.
Calib was a great little protagonist. He was a bit cowardly in the beginning, but as the book progressed, he became a brave mouse. His and Galahad's parallel stories were a nice touch. It was also great to see girls as pages and knights.
This whole book was just amazing. From characters, to plot, to world, everything kept me on my toes and invested in the story all the way through.
January 6, 2023
My elementary aged kids are studying Medieval History and currently learning about the legends of King Arthur. This book was about the mice of the round table that live in Camelot. One mouse in particular has to live up to his family name and save the castle from an impending attack with the help of Sir Lancelot’s son and the legendary Sword in the Stone. It was cool to see fiction mix with facts when they discover the Saxon invaders sent weasels to pillage the land like we read about in our history book!
Anyway, my kids loved this one. They were on the edge of their seats and we may have skipped math one afternoon because they just HAD had to find out what happened next…. ;)
Reminded me of Tale of Desperaux in some ways. It even has the intentionally worn paper edges like it’s an old book. Love that design detail!
Anyway, my kids loved this one. They were on the edge of their seats and we may have skipped math one afternoon because they just HAD had to find out what happened next…. ;)
Reminded me of Tale of Desperaux in some ways. It even has the intentionally worn paper edges like it’s an old book. Love that design detail!
March 3, 2017
I have been looking forward to this book since I first read about it. Waiting for it to finally come out was maddening! I was not disappointed in the least. I love this book. I am a huge fan of fighting mice - ever since I read about Reepicheep from the Narnia series.
I was really happy with the fact that there were also female knights in this story and that male and female animals were involved with the fighting. I loved the complexity of a lot of the characters, especially the Darklings like Leftie and non Camelot animals like Berwin and Gaius.
The story was very detailed and creative with the idea of the animals and humans all fighting the same war. I am pleased that this seems like it will be a series, so I'm excited for the next installment.
I was really happy with the fact that there were also female knights in this story and that male and female animals were involved with the fighting. I loved the complexity of a lot of the characters, especially the Darklings like Leftie and non Camelot animals like Berwin and Gaius.
The story was very detailed and creative with the idea of the animals and humans all fighting the same war. I am pleased that this seems like it will be a series, so I'm excited for the next installment.
Want to read
March 12, 2019Intermediate Juvenile Fiction.
A Tail of Camelot tells the story of a mouse named Calib Christopher who one day has dreams of becoming a knight of the round table. His family has protected Camelot for generation from threats of many sizes all while being hidden from humans. A new threat lurks on the horizon and now is the time for human and mice alike to cooperate to save the kingdom. Calib must stand up to the challenge and rally both sides if the kingdom is to survive.
A Tail of Camelot touches on themes of teamwork, bravery, and friendship.
I would recommend this book for 4th and 5th graders. The book introduces readers to classical English, themes that parallel King Arthur and the Knights of the round table and other fun fantasy tropes. It is another good leap into fantasy with slightly more complex themes.
A Tail of Camelot tells the story of a mouse named Calib Christopher who one day has dreams of becoming a knight of the round table. His family has protected Camelot for generation from threats of many sizes all while being hidden from humans. A new threat lurks on the horizon and now is the time for human and mice alike to cooperate to save the kingdom. Calib must stand up to the challenge and rally both sides if the kingdom is to survive.
A Tail of Camelot touches on themes of teamwork, bravery, and friendship.
I would recommend this book for 4th and 5th graders. The book introduces readers to classical English, themes that parallel King Arthur and the Knights of the round table and other fun fantasy tropes. It is another good leap into fantasy with slightly more complex themes.
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