ages 9-12

(written by 9 year old reader of book)

There are 14 chapters in this book. It has people like King Arthur. It has a sword in it. And it has a battle in it. There is an Oak Tree that is the tree. There is a picture in every chapter. You will like this story. Do not take my word for it, look for this book in the library or the book store.

(note from parent:)
My son really enjoyed reading The Sword in the Tree, just as he has other books by Bulla. They are excellent even for relunctant readers like the one who wrote the above review.

"I am Lord Weldon! __I__ am Lord of Weldon Castle!!"

I must have been about 7 or 8 when I read those words, spoken by a 9 year old whose father was believed dead, to his evil uncle. The boy's mother stood by silently.

As a child, I sympathized with him.
As a female, I felt offended. I didn't understand why the little boy believed he outranked his fully grown adult mother in power and prestige.

As an adult with some historical perspective, it makes more sense.

This was a great story, about family love and adventure and history, and I will always be grateful to Clyde Bulla for awakening the earliest feelings of feminism.

I read this out loud to my 4-year-old son, who loves anything involving King Arthur, and he was captivated. His only disappointment was that there is no book to follow with more tales of the young Shan and his adventures. I highly recommend this as well as other historical fiction by Bulla. I have also read "Pocahontas and the Strangers" to my son, and he loved that as well.