The Best King Arthur Books for a Wide Range of Ages
Do you have a child who is a fan of King Arthur? The legend of King Arthur, his sword Excalibur, and the knights of the round table is a favorite among my kids This list of king Arthur books will help you find the perfect book for kids and teens alike.
I have put these books in order according to level of difficulty, starting with picture books for younger readers and ending with the most challenging classics. Hopefully this will help you decide which book is the right choice for your child.
King Arthur Books
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Sir Cumference and the First Round Table by Cindy Neuschwander and Wayne Geehan
This cute math adventure story is a fun way to introduce Arthur to young children. The book uses the story of Arthur and the round table to explain the math concept of circumference. Sir Cumference, Lady Diamter, and their son, Radius, solve the problems occurring at court from using a rectangle table.
- Cindy Neuschwander (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Charlesbridge Publishing,U.S. (Publisher)
King Arthur and His Knights by Jim Weiss
Weiss is an excellent storytellerr! This Arthurian retelling is wonderful to use with young readers or kids who are averse to reading books, but who might rather choose to listen as they are fidgeting with something else.
The narrator named Sir Bedivere (the first to be knighted by King Arthur) introduces this splendidly arranged audiobook, followed by the well-read story retold by Jim Weiss. Arthur is originally trained by Merlin, the renowned wizard, and grows to become a great king as Merlin guides him. Each character’s story is splendidly woven into the King Arthur legend, explaining how they earn their way to knighthood.
- Audible Audiobook
- Jim Weiss (Author) – Jim Weiss (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 11/05/2021 (Publication Date) – Well-Trained Mind Press (Publisher)
Kid Classics King Arthur, The Illustrated Just-For-Kids Edition
The traditional tale and legends of King Arthur begin when young Arthur Pendragon pulls the sword out from a great rock, which has mysteriously been impossible to remove, a feat only possible for the future king of Great Britain. Embark on the adventure with King Arthur and his valiant knights, where this retold book and its fun illustrations show loyalty to their country and king. This is a great one for young readers, with a brief narrative and lively artwork on about every page.
- Is an abridged child-friendly version of the original Arthurian folklore|Has just the right amount of magic and daring deeds|Features beautiful illustrated hardcover with illustrations in each chapter|Is perfect for homeschooling school reading challenges and beginning readers
- Hardcover Book
- Malory, Sir Thomas (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 112 Pages – 03/05/2024 (Publication Date) – Applesauce Press (Publisher)
Of Swords and Sorcerers: the adventure of King Arthur and his Knights by Margaret Hodges and Margery Evernden
One of our kids’s favorite books is Hodge’s book St. George and the Dragon. In Of Swords and Sorcerers, the legend of King Arthur and his knights are vividly displayed as their tales of chivalry fly off the pages of Margaret Hodges’ Aurthurian retelling. Younger children will especially love this shorter version of King Arthur’s classic.
- Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping. Shipped from Amazon
- Hardcover Book
- Evernden (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 96 Pages – 04/30/1993 (Publication Date) – Atheneum (Publisher)
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green
Our personal favorite! The enchanting tales of King Arthur are written in an extraordinary, engaging way that is great for middle school and high school age kids. It has been read and loved by many of my kids! It is a great selection for medieval literature, presenting a great description of all of King Arthur’s adventures. Beginning when he finds the sword excalibur, and the lady of the lake, to the quest of the Holy Grail, all while gaining the brave knights Sir Gawain, Sir Lancelot, and Sir Galahad, and the entire assembly of the knights of the round table.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Green, Roger Lancelyn (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 420 Pages – 08/07/2008 (Publication Date) – Puffin (Publisher)
The Sword and the Circle Series by Rosemary Sutcliff
This is probably the most descriptive of British history and King Arthur’s reign. It is great for a wide range of ages because of its bright and intricate sketches that describe the story on every page. The stories unfold as Merlin guides Arthur, the king of Britain, through all of the many threats to him and his kingdom, including Arthur’s sister Morgana Le Fay who is an evil sorceress. We have read only the first book in this trilogy, but following The Sword and the Circle are The Light Beyond the Forest, and The Road to Camlann.
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle
In this classic book, Pyle uses some liberties in his tales which are not seen in earlier versions of Arthurian legends by others like Sidney Lanier and Sir Thomas Malory. The tale of King Arthur and his reign is split up in this book into several sections, each one giving a very detailed account of all of the adventures in the realm of Logres, following Arthur’s knights and Merlin’s magic as they and their king fight for justice and chivalrously strive to protect peace.
- Bonded Leather Decorative Edition
- Hardcover Book
- Howard Pyle (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 03/18/2025 (Publication Date) – Sterling (Publisher)
Once and Future King by T. H. White
Best for an older reader, Once and Future King is more loosely based around the tales of King Arthur, describing the growth of Arthur in both strength and wisdom, and the turmoil between Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot, one of the great knights of the Round Table.
Resources that have the King Arthur Story In Them
Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall
Our Island Story is a book I have read many times to my kids. They love it when I read the stories from this book, especially the ones about Arthur!
Arthur’s story begins in Chapter 8 with Vortigern and a young boy named Constans. It also tells about Uther Pendragon, Arthur’s father. Chapter 12 tells of Arthur’s beginning, magnificently pulling the famous sword from the rock, and eventually becoming king. Chapter 13 concludes the section about King Arthur. It tells of the building of Arthur’s kingdom, and the founding of the Round Table and the honorable knights that sat before it.
- Marshall, H. E. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 468 Pages – 08/19/2017 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)
Idylls of the King by Alfred Lord Tennyson (poem)
Our kids enjoy reciting Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poems Crossing the Bar nd Charge of the Light Brigade. We often recite these aloud in morning time. In this Tennyson poem, the story of King Arthur is written with a flow of heroism and sorrow that is unveiled in the entirety of King Arthur’s reign. This is a long poem, so I would recommend it for an older child or possibly a child who is already familiar with Arthur’s stories and would benefit from more details.
Read or listen to the full poem on Project Gutenburg
These are some of the best books about Arthur that our kids have loved over the years. Do you have a favorite that you would add to this list?
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