WELCOME TO AUSTRALIAN USED HOMESCHOOL BOOKS!
HISTORICAL FICTION - ROBIN HOOD, KING ARTHUR & THE AGE OF KINGS & QUEENS
ROBIN HOOD
Robin Hood (Margaret Early) $7 HBDJ GC (Dustjacket tattered, but book great) In these 14 adventures of Robin Hood, Early presents a well-rounded telling from Robin's becoming an outlaw, to his friendships with Little John, Friar Tuck, and others; his love for Maid Marian; his capture; escape; King Richard's return; and Robin's death. The language is not as difficult as the traditional Pyle, but the formal tone suits the sense of history. The selections read well and are linked to those preceding and following, but what is astonishing about the book is the attention to detail that turns it into a total aesthetic experience. Each page-long "chapter" is divided into two columns and decorated with an ornate gilded border to relate it to the bordered painting of the action on the opposing page. The full-page paintings are rich in color and detail and lushly reproduced with gold-leaf trim to resemble a miniature from a medieval book of hours. http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?qwork=8907402&matches=30&author=Early%2C+Margaret&browse=1&cm_sp=works*listing*title
Illustrated Classics “Robin Hood” (Rosalind Sutton) $6 HB EC Wonderful, engaging artwork and story, sure to appeal to children 7-11 years. http://www.amazon.com/Robin-Spanish-Clasicos-Accion-coleccion/dp/8424157826 (Cover art different)
The Merry Adventures Of Robin Hood (Robert O. Patterson) $6 HB EC A retelling of the Robin Hood ballads, with Prince John worked in as the villian in the final chapters. Maid Marian, as ward of the Sheriff, makes a few brief appearances. The gorgeous illustrations are the original B&W woodcuts which have been tinted. 10+
Robin Hood Of Sherwood Forest (Ann Mc Govern) $3 PB EC, $2 PB VGC (Older edition) Robin has been captured for killing the king’s deer, but he knows that the laws of the land are cruel and unjust. The poor people are suffering and Robin has sworn an oath to protect them. But first he must escape the King’s men! Great chapter book for the younger reader. 8+ http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&id=nfuyUN6YwHIC&dq=robin+hood+of+sherwood+forest+ann+mc+govern&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=wOiMHvqfka&sig=4cFkV3rUSvDpHEnxX9J4jlrh0vQ
Robin Of Sherwood (Richard Carpenter) $3 PB VGC (Light tanning) The life and times of England’s greatest folk hero. England in the 12th century has been conquered by the Normans, but scattered throughout the country there are still small areas of resistance in the form of Robin and his gang who seek to bring justice to the poor. 10+ http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/richard-carpenter/robin-of-sherwood.htm
KING ARTHUR
The Classic Edition “The Legend Of King Arthur” (Howard Pyle) $7 HBDJ EC A retelling of the classic King Arthur and Excalibur myths presented in a lavishly illustrated young reader's edition that evokes the mystery and delight of a centuries-old story of courage, honor, and magic. 6-10 YO http://www.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/1561385034
King Arthur: Tales Of The Young King (Eugene Pawzcuk) $5 HB EC Eugene Pawzcuk's magnificent illustrations take the reader back to the mystical world of Camelot and the young King Arthur. Pawzcuk's imaginative work captures the atmosphere and times of that wondrous enchanter Merlin, the birth of the legendary Arthur and the days of the fabulous knights, sword fighting, and horsemanship. We visualize the young King's exciting adventures with the Lady of the Lake and the magical Excalibur, his scheming sorceress half-sister Morgan LeFay, the twelve maidens on the barge, his imprisonment in the evil Sir Damas's dungeon and his near fatal battle with his friend Accolon. 6-10 YO
Sir Gawain And the Loathly Lady (Selina Hastings) $5 PB EC Hastings, a British journalist, possesses an outstanding talent for storytelling. Her version of a tale from the Round Table seethes with suspense and will hold young readers in thrall. A hideous woman saves King Arthur's life when the Black Knight menaces him, but she demands a terrible payment, marriage to one of Arthur's knights. Noble Sir Gawain volunteers and his reward, in the grand way of fairy tales, is a beautiful wife when the loathly lady is freed from an evil spell. The illustrations can't be sufficiently praised. Wijngaard's paintings are magnificent, meticulously detailed, effulgent with the regal colors of medieval pageantry, framed by delicate flowers and symbols of royalty. Even more remarkable are the portrayals of people. 6-10 YO http://www.amazon.com/Gawain-Loathly-Lady-Selina-Hastings/dp/0688070469
Sir Gawain And The Green Knight (Selina Hastings) $4 PB VGC Retells the story of Gawain's quest for the Green Chapel and his puzzling encounters with Sir Bercilak and his lady. Lovely illustrations. 6-10 YO http://www.amazon.com/Gawain-Green-Knight-Selina-Hastings/dp/0688005926
Bloomsbury Children’s Classics “King Arthur And His Knights” $3 PB EC The thrilling and timeless legend. The story of the incomparable Arthur, the lovely Guinevere, the wicked Morgana le Fey, and the magical Merlin has enthralled and delighted readers for centuries. 10+
King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table (Linda Yeatman) $6 HBDJ EC A great new treatment of the Arthurian legends. The drama and romance of these age-old stories is captured in this book which is illustrated by Llewellyn Thomas. A high-quality publication with colour plates. 10+
The Sword In The Stone (A Hello Reader Level 2 book - Grace Maccarone) $2 PB EC Lovely introduction to the stories of King Arthur for the younger reader! Great piccies…6-8 YO
Usborne Classics “Tales Of King Arthur” (Felicity Brooks) $5 PB EC These legendary tales of knights and nobility in ancient Britain, rivetingly retold for todays readers, remain as fresh and exciting as the day they were first written. From the sword in the stone to the lady in the lake, these stories bring to life the fantastic characters of Camelot: the wise wizard Merlin, the gallant Sir Lancelot, the wicked Morgan le Fay, and the beautiful Queen Guinevere. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780794514839 (Cover art different)
Great Illustrated Classics “King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table” (Howard Pyle) $5 HB EC (Nikko on top and bottom page edges) With King Arthur at the head of the Round Table, the most gallant men of the realm fought to bring peace, to perform outstanding deeds of strength and bravery to win honorFrom the time the young Arthur pulls the fabled sword from the stone, he is torn between good and evil, jealousy and love for the beautiful Queen Guinevere. Here is all the drama amd pageantry of clashing swords and lances, as the mighty struggle rages on. Large, clear text, a picture on each double page. 7-10 YO. http://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Knights-Round-Illustrated-Classics/dp/1577656911
King Arthur And His Knights Of The Round Table (Roger Lancelyn Green) $3 PB VGC (Light tanning) Retold out of the old romances, this collection of Arthurian tales endeavours to make each adventure--"The Quest for the Round Table, " "The First Quest of Sir Lancelot, " "How the Holy Grail Came to Camelot, " and so forth--in an attractive and unintimidating way for young readers. 10+ http://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Knights-Round-Puffin-Classics/dp/0140366709 (Cover art different)
The Tale Of Sir Gawain (Neil Philip) $3 PB EC Wounded and dying, Sir Gawain recounts to his young squire the legends of Camelot--the boyhood of Arthur, the quest for the Holy Grail, and Gawain's own encounter with the Green Knight. http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&id=cQj0Zd0MQFQC&dq=the+tale+of+sir+gawain+neil+philip&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=wOvPTX0fQa&sig=dq435EOuA3AVj97V813WSn148AE
Troll Illustrated
Classics “King Arthur” (Howard Pyle) $3 PB GC (Minor cover wear)
Discover the classics! Beautifully designed and carefully abridged, Troll
Illustrated Classics are the perfect introductions to the world’s best-loved
literature for young readers.
Relates how Arthur became a king, married Guinevere, and suffered
his downfall
through
treachery.Wonderful
illustrations on each double page of this picture book. 8+
http://www.amazon.com/King-Arthur-Troll-Illustrated-Classics/dp/081671214X
The Legend Of King Arthur & Other Classic Adventures $2 PB EC Picture book with six stories including: The Swords Of King Arthur; The Treachery Of Morgan; Arthur Gives Back His Sword; The Monster In The Labyrinth, George And The Dragon; and Stolen Thunder. Wonderful pictures on every page. Recommended! 8+
Lancelot (A Sapphire Picture Book) $2 HB GC Great story to introduce young children to the tales of King Arthur. Lots of colourful paintings accompany the clear, easy text for confident readers in this picture book. 8+
THE AGE OF KINGS & QUEENS
Innocent Traitor (Alison Weir) $10 PB EC ($32.95 in shops) An awesome read telling of the bravest, most sympathetic and most wronged women of Tudor England, Lady Jane Grey, whose story is compelling and shocking. She was a young girl of royal blood who was used by greedy and unscrupulous men to satisfy their own ambitions. Having been the victim of abuse in childhood, she was sold into an unhappy marriage and forced to accept a crown she did not want, then tragically paid the price of her so-called treason. Highly recommended! 14+ (Mature themes) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Innocent-Traitor-Alison-Weir/dp/0091796628
The Firemaster’s Mistress (Christie Dickason) $10 PB VGC ($32.95 in shops) May tell the real truth behind the mysterious Gunpowder Plot of 1605, although it set out only to slip imaginative speculation into the cracks in historical fact. Francis Quoynt, fire master and explosives expert is recently back from Flanders and dreaming of making fireworks, not war. Instead, he is blackmailed by the English Secretary of State, Robert Cecil, into spying for the government on the Gunpowder Plotters. The trouble is that Francis likes Robert Catesby and his co-plotters far more than he likes his employer. This work also makes him the enemy of the woman he loves, the Catholic glove-maker, Kate Peach. It also leads him inexorably into the heart of a plot far larger than anyone imagined, international in scale and threatening the survival of England itself. 14+ (Mature themes) http://www.christiedickason.com/books/firemaster/firemasterhard-uk.html
Hobberdy Dick (K.M. Briggs) $2 HB EC (Ex lib) After the Civil War many Royalist supporters fell on hard times. When the Culvers are forced to leave their family home, Widford Manor, the Puritan Widdisons move in. Hobberdy Dick is a part of the folklore of this time and is believed to live in the house guarding the Culvers heirlooms entrusted to him. A good insight to the life and times of the gentry and the British folklore of the time. 10+ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hobberdy-Dick-Katharine-M-Briggs/dp/1903252059/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204878393&sr=8-1
Melissa Woodruff (Celia Syred) $4 HBDJ EC, $3 PB VGC (Very light tanning) Against the backdrop of England torn by the Civil War in 1642, the exciting story of Melissa unfolds as her father, Sir Rupert Woodruff, a Royalist dies fighting for the king. Her family lose everything overnight and their life changes dramatically. 10+
Raider’s Tide (Maggie Prince) $5 PB VGC Raider’s Tide is set just south of the Scottish border during the reign of Elizabeth I. Border raids by the Scottish are an irregular occurrence for local people, something they try to prepare for but hope will not happen again. Local landowner’s daughter Beatie is on the verge of womanhood when the latest border raiders land and attack the village. 11+ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raiders-Tide-Maggie-Prince/dp/0007124031
A Pistol In Greenyards (Mollie Hunter) $3 PB GC It’s 1854, and the tenants of the small farms of Greenyards in the Highlands of Scotland are being brutally evicted so that the land can be sold, at enormous profit, for sheep grazing. Connal Ross, son of one of the tenants, tells of the hardships suffered by his family and neighbours. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/mollie-hunter/pistol-in-greenyards.htm (Cover different)
The Rope School (Sam Llewellyn) $4 PB VGC This tale is set in 1813 and England is at war with France and America. 11-year-old Kate Griffiths is living with her mean aunt, awaiting the call to join her parents in America. Her only escape from her life of drudgery is when she disguises herself as a boy and walks down by the docks. One day, entirely by accident, she finds herself on board ship and in the Rope School of one of His Majesty's sloops of war! Under the watchful eye of the mysterious Jago, Kate learns about hammock-hook-hitches and sheet bends, shrouds and sails, as well as the often harsh realities of shipboard life. But this is nothing to the tangle of mystery, adventure, treachery and surprise that awaits her on the high seas! 9+ http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/sam-llewellyn/rope-school.htm
The Time Warp Trio “The Not-So-Jolly Roger” (Jon Scieszka) $3 PB EC The boys find themselves on a desert island. Blackbeard and his two helpers comes to bury treasure. He catches the boys and takes them to the pirate ship, (Israel Hands is among those aboard.) There's some suspense, more slapstick, and the singing of some fine shanties before the boys are again saved by The Book. An historical afterword on Blackbeard completes the book. 8-12 YO http://www.amazon.com/Not-So-Jolly-Roger-Time-Warp-Trio/dp/0140346848
Sebastian The Navigator (A.C.H. Smith) $5 HB EC A funny novel of John Cabot's son, Sebastian, scrupulously respecting all know facts of his life but offers a startling reinterpretation of this charismatic adventurer. Set in the early 1500s, gives many insights into the age of discovery along with Magellan, the reign of Henry VIII and Emperor Charles V. 12+
Castor’s Away! (Hester Burton) $2 PB GC (Light tanning) “I’m going to sea! I’m going to sea!” yelled Tom. It was the year of Trafalgar, and he couldn’t wait to leave childhood behind and join Nelson’s fleet as it prepared for the bloody battle that would be known in history as Trafalgar. 10+
The Lieutenant: An Epic Tale Of Courage And Endurance On The High Seas (Jack Bennett) $3 HB GC (Ex lib, tape residue) Set in the eighteenth century, this is the true story of Captain William Bligh and the aftermath of the famous mutiny on the Bounty. Tells of the incredible 3000 mile voyage through open seas in a tiny boat and the amazing feats of navigation and determination that triumph over overwhelming odds. 11+
Illustrated Chosen Classics “Mutiny On The Bounty” (Sir John Barrow) $2 PB EC A specially adapted version for children with plenty of illustrations. 9-11 YO.