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For Beginners #1
Knighthood for Beginners
Brilliant new young fiction from comedy genius, Elys Dolan, creator of Steven Seagull, Weasels, and Nuts in Space.
High in the mountains are the Dragon Caves, and inside the deepest, darkest dragon cave, lives the most terrible dragon. And his name is Dave.
Dave's terrible (as in rubbish) at all dragony things. So when he finds a book called Knighthood for Beginners he decides to learn how to be a knight instead.
Dave sets out on a quest with his trusty steed, Albrecht the goat (all the best horses were taken), to be brave, chivalrous, and knightly in all ways. He'll be up against Sir Gnasty, who scoffs at the idea of a very small, strangely green knight and has an absolutely massive sword.
Hilarious fiction for young readers and fans of dragons, knights, and quests!
High in the mountains are the Dragon Caves, and inside the deepest, darkest dragon cave, lives the most terrible dragon. And his name is Dave.
Dave's terrible (as in rubbish) at all dragony things. So when he finds a book called Knighthood for Beginners he decides to learn how to be a knight instead.
Dave sets out on a quest with his trusty steed, Albrecht the goat (all the best horses were taken), to be brave, chivalrous, and knightly in all ways. He'll be up against Sir Gnasty, who scoffs at the idea of a very small, strangely green knight and has an absolutely massive sword.
Hilarious fiction for young readers and fans of dragons, knights, and quests!
208 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2017
4 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Elys Dolan
26 books24 followersElys Dolan grew up in a part of England that consists almost entirely of trees and cows, and she was named after a department store in Wimbledon. She’s never let either of these things hold her back and recently graduated from the Cambridge School of Art. She was awarded second place in the Macmillan Prize and was also short-listed for the Waterstone’s Picture This Prize. She lives in Cambridge, England.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 23, 2019
I enjoyed this illustrated chapter book... for the most part. The story of a little green dragon named Dave is pretty amusing. Dave is terrible at being a dragon. So, armed with his copy of Knighthood for Beginners, he sets out to become a knight instead. Along the way, he gains a friend in the form of his trusty "steed", Albrecht (who's actually a goat); saves a kingdom; rescues a princess; goes to couples therapy with Albrecht (as one does with their "steed"); and helps people find their own calling. But when Dave finds out that knights must slay dragons, his whole plan is put in jeopardy.
The illustrations are cute and there are a lot of them; this would be a good book for reluctant readers, as the text is broken up by lots of illustrations. However, I can't wholeheartedly recommend this book for a couple of reasons. First, the pacing is off. It starts out great, but then the story takes some detours that are rather boring. Second... the commas. Oh, the commas. I'm not sure if the author even knows how to use them properly. There are a lot of them missing. And sometimes they're where they shouldn't be. A lot of readers might not be bothered by that sort of thing, but I found it very distracting.
For a fun fantasy romp, this is okay. But it could've been even better had the punctuation been cleaned up a little.
Thank you to NetGalley and Silver Dolphin Books for providing a digital ARC.
The illustrations are cute and there are a lot of them; this would be a good book for reluctant readers, as the text is broken up by lots of illustrations. However, I can't wholeheartedly recommend this book for a couple of reasons. First, the pacing is off. It starts out great, but then the story takes some detours that are rather boring. Second... the commas. Oh, the commas. I'm not sure if the author even knows how to use them properly. There are a lot of them missing. And sometimes they're where they shouldn't be. A lot of readers might not be bothered by that sort of thing, but I found it very distracting.
For a fun fantasy romp, this is okay. But it could've been even better had the punctuation been cleaned up a little.
Thank you to NetGalley and Silver Dolphin Books for providing a digital ARC.
June 19, 2017
Dragons, knights, a talking goat with a wooden tail, knitting, and some (G)nasty villains.
I was utterly delighted when I saw this one on the author's twitter. I adore her work and was absolutely happy when I saw she would have a new work up, but this time not a picture book, oh no, a normal children's book! About dragons and knights. Sign me up!
And this book was such a delight. I laughed myself silly. There are some jokes that may not be caught be children, but which will be hilarious to adults.
Dave is a dragon, and he is terrible at it. Like, not just a little bit, but actually a lot of terribleness. He doesn't like breaking villages (and eating stuff), he can't knit, looting... well he has a book or two about that and he knows everything about looting, but sadly that doesn't count. So go with Dave as he leave his village and after finding a book decides to become a knight! Yep, a dragon becoming the one thing that most dragons hate (for reason of course).
Dave was a wonderful character and I was happy at that he didn't give up when things got difficult or he got in trouble. I did have 1 or 2 parts where I wanted to shake him (due to him thinking he was so super awesome and being kind of mean towards his friends). But other than that I had lots of fun reading about his quest to become a knight.
I was worried about his steed, a goat named Albrecht. Generally these sidekicks are annoying, frustrating and bleh. But not Albrecht, oh no. I instantly took a liking to him + his German talking was just fabulous and fitted him perfectly. He was so funny, though I wasn't sure (just like everyone else) if his stories were truly true or if they were false. Which made the ending when it all was revealed even better!
I loved how the King was an idiot. :P It fitted perfectly with the silliness of the story.
Gnasty was a perfect villain. He was evil, vile, and he also looked the part!
The How to Become a Knight book pages are also added to the book which made for a fun reading, I never knew becoming a knight was so easy!
The ending was great, I am happy with how it ended, and I can't wait for more adventures with Dave and Albrecht.
The book is filled to the brim with illustrations and I loved each and every one of them.
Highly recommended!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I was utterly delighted when I saw this one on the author's twitter. I adore her work and was absolutely happy when I saw she would have a new work up, but this time not a picture book, oh no, a normal children's book! About dragons and knights. Sign me up!
And this book was such a delight. I laughed myself silly. There are some jokes that may not be caught be children, but which will be hilarious to adults.
Dave is a dragon, and he is terrible at it. Like, not just a little bit, but actually a lot of terribleness. He doesn't like breaking villages (and eating stuff), he can't knit, looting... well he has a book or two about that and he knows everything about looting, but sadly that doesn't count. So go with Dave as he leave his village and after finding a book decides to become a knight! Yep, a dragon becoming the one thing that most dragons hate (for reason of course).
Dave was a wonderful character and I was happy at that he didn't give up when things got difficult or he got in trouble. I did have 1 or 2 parts where I wanted to shake him (due to him thinking he was so super awesome and being kind of mean towards his friends). But other than that I had lots of fun reading about his quest to become a knight.
I was worried about his steed, a goat named Albrecht. Generally these sidekicks are annoying, frustrating and bleh. But not Albrecht, oh no. I instantly took a liking to him + his German talking was just fabulous and fitted him perfectly. He was so funny, though I wasn't sure (just like everyone else) if his stories were truly true or if they were false. Which made the ending when it all was revealed even better!
I loved how the King was an idiot. :P It fitted perfectly with the silliness of the story.
Gnasty was a perfect villain. He was evil, vile, and he also looked the part!
The How to Become a Knight book pages are also added to the book which made for a fun reading, I never knew becoming a knight was so easy!
The ending was great, I am happy with how it ended, and I can't wait for more adventures with Dave and Albrecht.
The book is filled to the brim with illustrations and I loved each and every one of them.
Highly recommended!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
October 25, 2017
Knighthood for Beginners is a brilliant read, really entertaining, lots of fun, with endearing main characters in Dave and Albrecht, I was rooting for them! Dave is a dragon who doesn't fit the dragon mould that is expected of him; he likes books and it is one book in particular that leads him off on a new path in life, becoming a knight! He soon finds his very own trusty 'steed' in Albrecht, a goat who speaks a bit of German too, which I loved! Together they have adventures and meet some other great characters, loved the bearded lady! The drawings are really nicely done and the story is easy to read and as I said, entertaining and lots of fun. I liked the little bits at the back too like the armour token. I've previously read Steven Seagull by this author though I didn't realise at first that this was the same writer, so I am definitely a fan of her work!
February 11, 2022
super lustig!!!!
July 5, 2017
"There was once a dragon. A dragon called Dave."
This book is about a dragon called Dave. He isn't the best at being a dragon though. In fact Dave "became the first dragon ever to fail their Dragon Certificate." This meant he had to leave Dragons' Caves, the home of his family, forever. But on his way down the mountains he finds a book, and he loves books, - Knighthood for Beginners - and suddenly Dave "knew what he should be doing with his life." "If I became a knight I won't have to hoard gold, eat villages, or knit anything," all the things he was bad at that any self-respecting dragon would be good at.
From there he follows the steps in the book in his attempt to become a knight, the first step being to secure a trusty steed which pairs him up with Albrecht, a talking goat with a German accent. Albrecht has been on many an adventure giving him plenty of experience to draw upon when faced with a dangerous situation or two, although Dave thinks his tales of his past are a little far-fetched. But there are plenty of such situations that Dave finds himself in as he goes on the quest to prove himself as a knight and, ultimately, to outdo his rival knight Sir Gnasty.
The author's previous books have been picture books - this being her first young fiction book - so, as you'd expect, there are numerous, humorous drawings along the way which add to the story in ways that the text alone couldn't do, an advantage of the author doing the text and the pictures herself.
The whole is a fun, fast-moving story that has plenty of appeal.
If you liked this you might also like Buckle and Squash and the Monstrous Moat-Dragon by Sarah Courtauld.
This book is about a dragon called Dave. He isn't the best at being a dragon though. In fact Dave "became the first dragon ever to fail their Dragon Certificate." This meant he had to leave Dragons' Caves, the home of his family, forever. But on his way down the mountains he finds a book, and he loves books, - Knighthood for Beginners - and suddenly Dave "knew what he should be doing with his life." "If I became a knight I won't have to hoard gold, eat villages, or knit anything," all the things he was bad at that any self-respecting dragon would be good at.
From there he follows the steps in the book in his attempt to become a knight, the first step being to secure a trusty steed which pairs him up with Albrecht, a talking goat with a German accent. Albrecht has been on many an adventure giving him plenty of experience to draw upon when faced with a dangerous situation or two, although Dave thinks his tales of his past are a little far-fetched. But there are plenty of such situations that Dave finds himself in as he goes on the quest to prove himself as a knight and, ultimately, to outdo his rival knight Sir Gnasty.
The author's previous books have been picture books - this being her first young fiction book - so, as you'd expect, there are numerous, humorous drawings along the way which add to the story in ways that the text alone couldn't do, an advantage of the author doing the text and the pictures herself.
The whole is a fun, fast-moving story that has plenty of appeal.
If you liked this you might also like Buckle and Squash and the Monstrous Moat-Dragon by Sarah Courtauld.
May 31, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Knighthood for Beginners is an illustrated chapter book aimed at middle grade readers. First published in 2017, this re-release is due out 2nd July 2019 from Silver Dolphin. It's 208 pages and will be available in ebook and paperback formats.
This is an exuberantly appealing book. There are many genuinely funny moments and I really loved Small Dragon Dave and his feisty sidekick Albrecht the Goat. The author/artist Elys Dolan has a deft and sure hand with both narrative and illustration. There is a rollicking farcical quality to the narrative, but she manages to include themes of friendship, honesty, integrity, cooperation, and not least, being true to oneself. Just a wonderfully funny, uplifting, and happy book.
The inclusion of the epilogue at the end of the book with illustrated "where are they now" sidebars, and adverts just slayed me. What a wonderful imagination and sense of humour the author has!
This would be a superlative reading circle book or read-along. There is limitless potential for funny voices and sound effects whilst reading this one aloud. It would make a wonderful library book or gift for a bookish 7-11+ year old.
Five stars. I adored this book.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Knighthood for Beginners is an illustrated chapter book aimed at middle grade readers. First published in 2017, this re-release is due out 2nd July 2019 from Silver Dolphin. It's 208 pages and will be available in ebook and paperback formats.
This is an exuberantly appealing book. There are many genuinely funny moments and I really loved Small Dragon Dave and his feisty sidekick Albrecht the Goat. The author/artist Elys Dolan has a deft and sure hand with both narrative and illustration. There is a rollicking farcical quality to the narrative, but she manages to include themes of friendship, honesty, integrity, cooperation, and not least, being true to oneself. Just a wonderfully funny, uplifting, and happy book.
The inclusion of the epilogue at the end of the book with illustrated "where are they now" sidebars, and adverts just slayed me. What a wonderful imagination and sense of humour the author has!
This would be a superlative reading circle book or read-along. There is limitless potential for funny voices and sound effects whilst reading this one aloud. It would make a wonderful library book or gift for a bookish 7-11+ year old.
Five stars. I adored this book.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
July 2, 2019
Knighthood for Beginners is the adorable (and silly) tale of a dragon named Dave who was terrible at being a dragon. He was terrible at hoarding gold, terrible at eating villages, terrible at knitting, and had stage fright when trying to give riddles out. However, he was good at reading books and after failing the dragon test, he picked up the book ‘Knighthood for Beginners’ and immediately knew what he wanted to do with his life.
Dave’s ‘Knighthood for Beginners’ provided him with a step-by-step instruction on how to be a knight and of course the first chapter addressed the trusty steed, which is how he meets Albrecht – a talking goat. Albrecht agrees to come out of retirement and to become Dave’s mentor, trainer, trusty steed, and life coach on his quest to become a knight.
However, getting a trusty steed is only chapter 1 of Dave’s “Knighthood for Beginners’ and Dave and Albrecht soon find themselves setting off to finish the rest of the chapter’s step-by-step instructions.
Elys Dolan’s Knighthood for Beginners is a fun, silly, and adorable tale to read. The book has a wide variety of adventures and individuals: including jousting, imprisonment, a witch, bad guys, and a bearded lady just to name a few. There are many, many pictures in the book which help demonstrate what Dave and Albrecht are encountering at any given time as well as bring out extra background humor. The chapters are just the right length and may even seem shorter than they are since there are a lot of pictures. The book also gives the reader a chance to learn a little German since Albrecht speaks it from time to time. (A list of the German words and their translation can be found at the end of the book.) There is also a lot of opportunities to act out the book and its funny moments – especially if it is being read aloud or with someone. At the end, the book leaves open the possibility for more Dave and Albrecht books, plus a “Where are they now” section that provides updates on all the reader’s favorites within the story.
Dave’s ‘Knighthood for Beginners’ provided him with a step-by-step instruction on how to be a knight and of course the first chapter addressed the trusty steed, which is how he meets Albrecht – a talking goat. Albrecht agrees to come out of retirement and to become Dave’s mentor, trainer, trusty steed, and life coach on his quest to become a knight.
However, getting a trusty steed is only chapter 1 of Dave’s “Knighthood for Beginners’ and Dave and Albrecht soon find themselves setting off to finish the rest of the chapter’s step-by-step instructions.
Elys Dolan’s Knighthood for Beginners is a fun, silly, and adorable tale to read. The book has a wide variety of adventures and individuals: including jousting, imprisonment, a witch, bad guys, and a bearded lady just to name a few. There are many, many pictures in the book which help demonstrate what Dave and Albrecht are encountering at any given time as well as bring out extra background humor. The chapters are just the right length and may even seem shorter than they are since there are a lot of pictures. The book also gives the reader a chance to learn a little German since Albrecht speaks it from time to time. (A list of the German words and their translation can be found at the end of the book.) There is also a lot of opportunities to act out the book and its funny moments – especially if it is being read aloud or with someone. At the end, the book leaves open the possibility for more Dave and Albrecht books, plus a “Where are they now” section that provides updates on all the reader’s favorites within the story.
October 18, 2019
This was really not what I was expecting. It was a cute story with a funny new take on dragons. I just discovered that there is another book after this one, so I'm glad I have a chance to see what happens next.
I appreciate how Elys Dolan took the idea of knights and dragons and turned it on its head. If you want to read a story with classic knights and dragons, there are plenty of them out there. It's fun to flip things on their head and see what happens.
Author: Elys Dolan
Publisher: Printers Row Publishing Group and Silver Dolphin Books
Publication Date: 02 Jul 2019
I appreciate how Elys Dolan took the idea of knights and dragons and turned it on its head. If you want to read a story with classic knights and dragons, there are plenty of them out there. It's fun to flip things on their head and see what happens.
Author: Elys Dolan
Publisher: Printers Row Publishing Group and Silver Dolphin Books
Publication Date: 02 Jul 2019
June 17, 2019
NetGalley ARC.
Super cute, fun story for kids. Dave is a terrible dragon and decides being a knight might be better and easier. With his trusty steed, Albrecht, who is a German goat, IDK why, they go off in search of the proper way to become a knight! Full of laughs and cute illustrations, this is sure to hold a kid's attention AND their parent(s)'! Recommended for elementary school ages.
Super cute, fun story for kids. Dave is a terrible dragon and decides being a knight might be better and easier. With his trusty steed, Albrecht, who is a German goat, IDK why, they go off in search of the proper way to become a knight! Full of laughs and cute illustrations, this is sure to hold a kid's attention AND their parent(s)'! Recommended for elementary school ages.
May 31, 2023
Read this book with my 7 year old grandson. There are a lot of pictures and big words. He learned how to use Alexa for the words he does not know instead of skipping them, and I explain the meanings of some words. I think this is more like a 5th grade book.
The author has cute names, funny descriptions, and good drawings which makes this child worthy.
The author has cute names, funny descriptions, and good drawings which makes this child worthy.
January 26, 2020
My son (9 years) and husband convinced me that I needed to read this book. Adorable illustrations of Dave the dragon who wants to become a knight and his slightly rude friend. It had me chuckling throughout. Very suitable for kids around my son’s age.
May 11, 2020
Quite possibly the best piece of writing I've read this year. This gem came to me via my 9-year-old. He said it came in quality just under "Last Kids on Earth". Certainly a quick read and funny to boot. I highly recommend this treasure.
February 17, 2021
As expected, this was a super fast read. My 7yo insisted I read it after him. Great for beginning independent readers. lots of pictures to help keep it interesting and help keep them interested. Fun story for that age group. Definitely recommend.
November 10, 2024
So süß und witzig! Ich liebe die schrägen Charaktere und Ideen und dass es darum geht, so zu sein/bleiben wie du bist und trotzdem deinen Wunschberuf erreichen zu können. Zusätzlich grandios von der Autorin illustriert!
August 5, 2017
Very funny, and a great read for children.
September 5, 2017
Best children's book in a while! Funny, well-written written, lovely illustrations. Still chuckling.
October 12, 2017
Very funny book by the wonderful Elys Dolan, who has written a number of very funny picture books too.
May 22, 2023
Could've done with an editor. Dolan, it's called a COMMA. They're supposed to be used when addressing a person.
July 24, 2023
Knighthood for beginners is a funny book with adventurous characters that want to be heroes. I would recommend it to anyone who likes adventure, comedy and dragons
April 6, 2024
Funny, but not my sense of humor. Fans of Big Fat Zombie Goldfish would like this one.
September 14, 2024
This book was pretty darn funny. I enjoyed it.
November 2, 2024
I love this book 😀It was so funny and self-aware
June 2, 2022
Wie genial ist denn bitte "Drache undercover. Voll verplant zum Ritterschlag" von Elys Dolan?! Ich habe das Buch bei einem Gewinnspiel gewonnen und bin einfach nur begeistert!
Im Buch geht es um den kleinen, undrachigen Drachen Lennart, der unbedingt ein Ritter werden will. Nach seiner misslungenen Prüfung zum Drachen trifft er auf Albrecht, den abenteuerlustigen Ziegenbock und erlebt mit ihm ein Abenteuer ums nächste. Ob es ihm gelingt, zum Ritter geschlagen zu werden?
Dieser Comic-Roman besticht zum Einen durch die wirklich witzige Geschichte und zum Anderen durch die Kombination mit den Comics. Die vielen Details heben das Buch auf ein neues Kinderbuchlevel. Es gibt "Gutscheine" für eine Gratis Rosspflege oder eine Flasche "Bauernschreck mit Zitronenfrische", einen Blick in die Zukunft (was geschah mit Ritter Garstig, etc.) und viele witzige Zeichnungen.
Ganz ehrlich: selbst wenn ich ein leseunmotiviertes Kind wäre, könnte ich das Buch wohl kaum aus der Hand legen 😄 Es ist einfach motivierend und leicht zu lesen! Von mir gibt's eine begeisterte Kaufempfehlung!
Im Buch geht es um den kleinen, undrachigen Drachen Lennart, der unbedingt ein Ritter werden will. Nach seiner misslungenen Prüfung zum Drachen trifft er auf Albrecht, den abenteuerlustigen Ziegenbock und erlebt mit ihm ein Abenteuer ums nächste. Ob es ihm gelingt, zum Ritter geschlagen zu werden?
Dieser Comic-Roman besticht zum Einen durch die wirklich witzige Geschichte und zum Anderen durch die Kombination mit den Comics. Die vielen Details heben das Buch auf ein neues Kinderbuchlevel. Es gibt "Gutscheine" für eine Gratis Rosspflege oder eine Flasche "Bauernschreck mit Zitronenfrische", einen Blick in die Zukunft (was geschah mit Ritter Garstig, etc.) und viele witzige Zeichnungen.
Ganz ehrlich: selbst wenn ich ein leseunmotiviertes Kind wäre, könnte ich das Buch wohl kaum aus der Hand legen 😄 Es ist einfach motivierend und leicht zu lesen! Von mir gibt's eine begeisterte Kaufempfehlung!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews