Raising Sir Gallant
Mary Bustamante
Bristol & Thornbury
Published December 12, 2019
Amazon | Goodreads
About Raising Sir Gallant : Lessons that Transformed a Young Farm Boy Into a Knight
As a farmer’s son, young Gallant knows very little of a knight’s life, but he knows that it’s incredibly unlikely he’ll ever have a chance to become one. Then a surprise visit from a knight and old friend of his father’s reignites Gallant’s secret dream to become a knight.
After reconnecting with his father, Sir Francis offers to tutor Gallant, to train him to one serve as a knight himself. As his training begins, Gallant rushes into it eagerly, anxious to learn swordplay and see glorious things.
But training to be a knight is much harder than he thought, and Sir Francis expects much of him. In order to achieve his dream, Gallant will have to learn to put aside his own expectations and dreams of glory and learn what it truly means to serve as a knight.
My Review
This book was the perfect gentle read for where I am right now. It definitely has a day-in-the-life feel to it, but it also features a hero with a clear goal who needs to navigate some obstacles along the way.
I enjoyed the period details and the thoughtful way that life during medieval time was described. It kept the story at a gentle pace but didn’t leave me feeling bogged down with history.
Honestly, I thought the whole approach to the story was very thoughtful. There are vocabulary words in bold text with definitions at the end of each chapter as well as discussion questions. I think this book would make a great part of home school or private school curriculum. (It’s got a lot of faith-based content, so I don’t think it would be something that could be used in a public school setting.)
Fans of stories about how to become a knight or daily life during the medieval times will really enjoy those parts of the story. There’s also a strong emphasis on faith and virtue, so readers looking for overtly Christian characters and values will enjoy those components as well.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Representation
All characters are white and British.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
One brief mention of hell as a place.
Romance/Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
Characters are practicing Christians and pray openly. Gallant is encouraged to pray daily. Some characters quote from the Bible.
Violent Content
None.
Drug Content
None.
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