The Dragon Players (Knights of the Lunch Table #2)

 Cammuso's Knights of the Lunch Table series has been highly recommended by readers. I'm so glad that I picked up this series because it is such a fun and entertaining read which will be enjoyed by many young readers.

Description: Artie King, the uncrowned good guy of Camelot Middle School, is back with his pals Percy and Wayne in tow as he tries to evade evil Principal Dagger, avoid the school bully Joe and his Horde, and unravel the secret of a pack of mysterious magic cards he finds in his locker.

Review: The graphic novel series, Knights of the Lunch Table, is a fun and entertaining read. With an homage to the King Arthur, Cammuso seamlessly blends the traditional Arthurian mythology into the every day activities of surviving middle school. Although Dragon Players is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. In this installment of the series, Artie King and his knights, Percy and Wayne, are preparing for the annual Dragon Day at school. Mischief and disaster occurs quickly when Wayne's bowling ball soars into the air and lands on the principal's windshield. In order to raise money to get it repaired, the young knights are signed up by Artie's sister, Morgan, to compete in the Dragon Duel robot tournament. The only problem is that neither Artie nor his friends know how to make a robot. Hilarity and mayhem begin when the boys attempt to get help on building a robot that could possibly win against the bully, Horde, who is known for cheating. Merlin is the wise science teacher who guides Arthur in the right direction, and instead of the Ladies of the Lake, the wisdom and foresight come from the Ladies of the Lunch who stir a large boiling pot and speak in rhyme. Dragon Player is another entertaining and colorful graphic novel. Fan of Arthurian mythology will get a kick of all of the allusions sprinkled in the story and I think this series will make kids curious enough to pick up books about the Arthurian mythology.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 2 and up.

If you like this book try: The Battling Bands (Knights of the Lunch Table #3) by Frank Cammuso, Big Nate series by Lincoln Peirce, the Amelia Rules series by Jimmy Gownley