Young Knights of the Round Table: The King's Ransom by Cheryl Carpinello

"This is a fantastic young adult adventure! I loved it! [...] Cheryl Carpinello has written a fantastic Young Adult Action/Adventure. I loved her writing style, which was fast paced enough to keep even the most fidgety youngster's rapt attention, and the flow was wonderful. I would definitely read more of this authors books in the future." - Goodreads, Lynn

Description:

Published: 2016/2012
CoverArtist: Kaytalin Platt

Answer the hero's call to Adventure with the Young Knights of the Round Table on their Quest.

Three friends. Three quests. Three mysterious predictions.

In medieval Wales, eleven-year-old Prince Gavin, thirteen-year-old orphan Philip, and fifteen-year-old blacksmith's apprentice Bryan are brought together in friendship by one they call the Wild Man. When an advisor to the king is killed and a jewelled medallion is stolen from the king's treasury, the Wild Man is accused of the theft and murder. Filled with disbelief at the arrest of the Wild Man, the three friends embark upon a knight's quest to save their friend's life. To succeed, the three must confront their fears and insecurities, and one of them will have to disclose the biggest secret of all. Join Gavin, Philip, and Bryan on their quest and share the adventures that await them in the land of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

GUEST POST

Why We Write for MG/Tweens 


I could list all the reasons I write for MG/Tween readers, but I decided it would be more interesting to see why writers, including myself, have chosen this genre. The following quotes (with a tad of literary license) are from many of the MG/Tween authors I’ve interviewed on Carpinello’s Writing Pages and me: 

Cheryl Carpinello: Those are the years where I remember devouring books: adventures, mysteries, fantasies, and animal stories. The characters and their adventures fueled my own imagination. As an adult I read across a number of genres, but I don’t find myself getting ‘lost’ in the adult reads. So, I write the stories from my youth. 

Darlene Foster: I love the innocence of this age. This is also when children start to question issues and want to try new things. They begin to crave independence, but at the same time wish to stay in their comfort zone. 

Matthew Daniel Brough: As a pastor, I mainly thought I would write non-fiction—something about God, theology, or spirituality. Finally, I decided that I would love for my daughter to be able to read a book that I had written. 

Mariko Layton: Middle grade is such a great age. Middle graders read well and are eager to read by themselves. There are a lot of life lessons they need to learn, which are kid problems. I hope to help them with those issues. 

Teresa R. Funke: As a writer of WWII fiction, I started getting invited to schools to speak to fifth-grade classrooms about writing and the war. At one visit, a girl said, “Mrs. Funke, this is so interesting. Why don’t you write some books for kids about the war?” That seemed like a great idea to me! 

Peggy McAloon: I recognized early in life that kids are easily hurt and need someone to convince them to get help when they’re in trouble. So, I decided to write about a young role model who could inspire and encourage kids to stand up to the social injustices they face daily (abuse, bullying, loss, etc.). To do that successfully, I decided to draw on my love of reading. As a child, I discovered I could escape the pain and suffering of the real world by losing myself in the characters of the books I so dearly loved. 

A. J.York: Middle grade fantasy really allows your imagination to soar. It brings me a great amount joy. 

Julie Anne Grasso: Middle grade is such a sweet spot because kids this age are not quite ready for the reality of the world we live in. Fantasy and Mystery are how I choose to entertain them, with the hope to ignite their imaginations. 

Dan Davis: The age group is perfect because I love writing books with straightforward prose, lots of story and fun and funny characters. I have never enjoyed writing more than I am now. 

Kurt Chambers: When you sit down with young children and get into a conversation with them, it's the funniest thing in the world. Their perspective on life puts us adults to shame. You soon realize they have a craving for a world filled with magic and awe. 

Carrie Cross: Some of the happiest memories from my ‘tweens involve cozy nights reading in bed, especially during a rainstorm. 

Sara Stinson: I can let my imagination run wild. I love creating different worlds and characters. Adventure books are exciting! I enjoy watching the children’s eyes brighten as they sink their minds into a great story. 

Christina Weigand: I want to provide to middle-grade readers a balanced reading palette. While they may be reading vampire books and the like, I also want them to see God’s side and to have a fuller, more well-balanced vision of what is out there, so they can make informed choices in their lives. After all they are the future. 

Andy Mulberry: I think the best answer is that I’m a kid at heart and constantly have a funny/weird story or two in my head. Growing up, books gave me so much joy (they still do). If I can pass on the joy of books to impressionable young minds, all for the better *cue evil laugh*! 

J. B. Pelts: As a kid I loved stories of adventure, like Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, and Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. It was the fact that these were adventures that you felt could possibly happen to you one day that drew me in, and I wanted to recreate something similar, but with the flow and bounce of the modern day classics. 

Please leave a comment about why you write or read MG/Tween Literature.

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About the author:

I am a retired high school English teacher. A devourer of books growing up, my profession introduced me to writings and authors from times long past. Through my studies and teaching, I fell in love with the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. Now, I hope to inspire young readers and those young-at-heart to read more through my Quest Books set in these worlds. 

Also please visit my other sites: Carpinello’s Writing Pages where I interview Childrens/Tween/MG/YA authors; and The Quest Books where I’ve teamed up with Fiona Ingram from South Africa and Wendy Leighton-Porter of Abu Dhabi to enable readers to find our Ancient and Medieval quest books in one place. 

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