"The Runt" by Rick Boyer. 
Reviewed by N. Wagner
http ://www.thelearningparent. com/

If you're looking for Christian books for and about homeschool kids, this is a good one. The main character is Kit, a homeschool boy 13 year old in the Ozarks, probably in the 1950s or 1960s.

Kit is the smallest boy his age in Flat Creek County, not unlike his pup, and feels like God isn't answering his prayers to be big and strong like his daddy, the Sheriff. Runt was not his first choice in a coon dog, but Kit soon bonds with him. Kit and his best friend "Simmer" spend a lot of time and effort training Runt to be a great coon dog, then to be a man tracker.

Along the way he learns that God doesn't always answer prayers immediately and not always in the way Kit intended. But he does learn that God's plans are best and sometimes it's good to be small.

Rick paints a good picture of the surroundings and action with his words. There are no scenarios that are truly implausible or impossible yet Kit and Runt both come out as heroes in the end. This would be a great book to read aloud as a family or for an 11-14 year old to read on his/her own. 

To summarize, it is:

KING ARTHUR Reviewed by Ben H.

This book was written by Robert Louis Stevenson. The setting of the story took place in England during the medieval times. The main character is Arthur, of course. This story doesn't only talk about Arthur, it also talks about Merlin and all the other Knights of the Round Table. 

THE CHAPTERS

" Merlin, as a child, was taken by a group of knights to a cruel king, Vortigern. Merlin told him that a lake was underneath the tower he was constructing. Vortigern had his workers dig and a lake came up. Merlin told him that two dragons would come out of the lake. The red one represented him and the white one represented his enemy. The two dragons came and fought. The red one was killed and so was the king by his enemy.

Joseph was a gardener and had a holy cup (grail). One day, he was called by a spirit to go to the island west-over-the-sea with his family. They went and had a great feast.

A dragon appeared in the sky at night to give a sign that Arthur was going to be born.

A sword appeared in England. It had writings on it and they were: "Who ever pulleth the sword out of the stone shall be king of all England." One day, Arthur went to a tournament with his foster family (because Merlin gave him to them so he could train Arthur). When he was at the tournament, he forgot his Brother Kay's sword. When he went back to the inn, it was closed. So he went to the sword in the stone and pulled it out. He was made king of all England after he got back.

Merlin built the round table from the book's instructions he found, in the druid's home that appeared right before him.

Arthur battled a knight and Arthur's sword of the king broke. Merlin took Arthur to a lake to get a new sword. It was Excalibur! Arthur took Excalibur and was going to battle the knight again, but Merlin said he had fought enough.

Arthur went to a castle that was being attacked by its enemies. Arthur slayed many enemies with just a touch with Excalibur. After the battle, he met the princess of the castle, Guinevere and fell in love with her.

Arthur wedded Guinevere and the round table had all its seats filled except two... The Seat beside Arthur and The Seat Perilous.

King Pellinore Became a knight of the Round-Table, and a great lady was captured by a black knight... Pellinore rescued the lady and slayed the black knight. He became the lord of a castle and the guardian of the fountain.

Sir Tristam was sent over sea to Ireland to pick up a princess, Iseult, for King Mark. Tristam and Iseult drank a love potion without knowing it. She still married the king and Tristam and Iseult were very sad un till they died.

The foundling Prince wanted to marry Olwen but her father was very cruel. Olwen was a princess and her father wanted many marvels done in order for the wedding to go on, but they preformed most of them and killed the king while cutting his hair. The foundling prince and Olwen were married.

Sir Geraint was one of the most handsome Knights of the Round Table. He ventured into the fairy woods to find and adventure, and he did. The Queen (Guinevere) was struck by a knight's dwarf, and Geraint followed them. They led him to a palace where the lord and his queen and daughter (Ewid) were thrown out by the knight. Geraint Slayed the knight and married Ewid.

Lancelot was a baby and was taken by a fairy lady of the lake. He was taken to the bottom of O the lake and taken care of. When he got older he left the lake and became a knight of the round table.

Gareth was a kitchen boy who became a knight. The maiden, whom he needed to save her sister, always mocked him during his quest. He slayed the four knights and freed her sister. She no longer mocked him anymore.

Merlin was growing old and Nimue was learning most of his secrets. She put him in an endless sleep using his fountain.

King Arthur went on another adventure! He was chasing a black stag when a ship appeared after he had killed the stag. He boarded the ship and it led him to a dungeon where an evil lord held twenty knights. Arthur defeated the lord and freed the prisoners.

For further Info, read King Arthur!