Description:

"In order to gain wisdom, you must learn to read inter linea, between the lines." Artos doesn't know who his parents are, just that kindly Sir Ector and Lady Marion took him into their castle when he was a baby. Though Sir Ector raises him as one of his sons, Artos never feels he truly belongs. The other boys of the castle -- Cai, Bedvere, and Lancot -- make fun of him and never invite him to join in their games. One day, while searching for Sir Ector's missing brachet hound in the fens around the castle, Artos stumbles across a musty cave in a hill where a very old dragon lives. Though he is afraid, he is drawn to the beast by both the dragon's knowledge and his promise to teach Artos the game of wisdom. With the dragon's guidance, Artos begins the slow journey to his destiny-one that he never dreamed could belong to him. Notable 1990 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC) ** ### From School Library Journal A good introduction to Arthurian legend, this is a retelling of the education and coming of age of 13-year-old Artos (Arthur). Old Linn (Merlin) is to be his teacher, but, doubting he can command the boy's attention, he constructs a fire-breathing dragon as a facade. Behind this imposing apparition, he impresses Artos into becoming his student. However, when Artos discovers the dragon's true identity, he becomes angry. When Old Linn explains Artos' lineage and hints that his destiny is to be a leader of men, the boy reconsiders their relationship. Basing the story on recognized Arthurian scholarship, Yolen skillfully develops those aspects of Artos' character that will guide him in his adult life--courage, compassion, and fairness. The book serves as a foundation for further reading of Arthurian tales. Some of the vocabulary and references to Celtic folklore may be unfamiliar to readers, but these add authenticity and richness without detracting from the enjoyment of the story. --Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VT Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. ### About the Author Jane Yolen is the award-winning author of more than two hundred books, including fantasy, science fiction, and poetry, which earned her the moniker the American Hans Christian Andersen. Her titles include *Odysseus in the Serpent Maze*, *The Dragon's Boy*, and *The Girl Who Loved the Wind*. Jane Yolen divides her time between a farmhouse in Massachusetts and a house in Scotland.