Module 13 - Knights of the Lunch Table

Summary: Artie King is the new kid in school, and he's an unusual character. He alone is able to open the locker of legend. He has a science teacher, Mr. Merlyn, who acts as his conscience, he has good friends named Wayne and Percy and Gwen. This modernization of the Arthurian legends tells of an epic battle between Artie and his friends and the Horde in a match of dodgeball. Artie, in an effort to fit in, has over-exaggerated his skills on the court. He goes on quests to find a way for his team, the Knights, to win, including taming a "beast" and fetching a Swiss Army Knife for a mysterious older boy who rules Arcadia, the arcade at Hadrian's Mall. Artie and his team, through their virtuous natures, defeat the evil horde in the epic dodgeball match.

Cammuso, F. (2008). Knights of the lunch table: The dodgeball chronicles. New York, NY: Scholastic.

My Impressions: As the teacher of students who read Arthurian legends every year, I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The adventures of Artie King and his friends are colorful, fun, and simply told, with plenty of tongue-in-cheek lines and inside jokes for those well-versed in the Arthurian legends, including "Hadrian's Mall," Artie's sister Morgan, the science teacher Mr. Merlyn, Artie's enemy Joe Roman, and allusions to former students Terry White (i.e., T.H. White, of The Once and Future King fame) and Tommy Mallory (i.e., Sir Thomas Malory, the chronicler of Arthur and his knights in Le Morte d'Arthur). The story is so engaging and so fun that I had to get the sequel.

Reviews:

"The funny, fast-paced tale of young Arthur's quest to defeat the bullies stands well on its own. The appealing illustrations are full of color, action, and life. Point new fans to one of the many retellings of the deeds of the Round Table while they wait for the second volume in the series." -- School Library Journal

Gallego, B. (2008). Knights of the Lunch Table. School Library Journal, 54(7), 119. Retrieved November 2, 2011, from http://www.libraryjournal.com/slj/printissue/currentissue/859403-427/graphic_novels.html.csp.

"...this full-color, action-packed graphic novel is classic hi-jinks that any kid who has ever been picked on will relish, especially when the nerds best the bad boys in a game notorious for humiliating the weak." --  Library Media Connection

Gorman, M. (2008). Getting graphic: Comic adventure for tweens.Library Media Connection, 27(3), 44. 


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Uses in the Library:

This is a great way to introduce younger students to King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. It can also be used as an example for older students to take an old story and update it to modern times.