The Dodgeball Chronicles (Knights of the Lunch Table Series #1) »

Frank Cammuso draws editorial cartoons for the Post-Standard newspaper in Syracuse, New York. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Newsweek, The Washington Post, USA Today, and The Village Voice.

Hart Seely is an award-winning reporter for the Post-Standard newspaper in Syracuse, New York. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The New Republic, National Lampoon, The Village Voice, and Spy magazine. He is married and has three children.

New student Artie King is a nice, comics-loving kid who just wants to ease into life at Camelot Middle School without attracting too much attention. But by second period, Artie already has enemies. He tripped Camelot's mean principal by mistake. An older kid isn't happy about the lunch he stole from Artie. (Well, Artie tried to warn him that sandwich was made by his pesky sister . . . out of boogers and soap!) And Artie just can't seem to stay out of the way of big Mo and The Horde, the bunch of brawny bullies who rule the school.

To top it off, Artie has been assigned a funky old locker that no one has ever been able to open. Artie can do it, though, and finds the locker mysteriously full of all kinds useful stuff. He's also made a few pals in the lunchroom, Percy and Wayne, and the science teacher, Mr. Merlyn, who seems weird but nice.

When a humiliated Mo fails to open Artie's locker, he challenges him and his pals to a do-or-die dodgeball game. The Horde vs. The Knights of the Lunch Table. Losers get creamed.

On game night, the Knights' gym clothes disappear. Artie handily finds new ones in the locker (okay, the tee-shirts are pink . . .). But that doesn't help the Knights in the dodgeball ring, where The Horde is just picking them off. Another visit to the locker and Artie's back with a secret weapon: Percy's missing pet spider. Mo is afraid of spiders, big-time. The score is about to be evened!

Children's Literature

Artie King suffers from being the new kid at Camelot Middle School, but fate enables him to make fast friends with Percy, Wayne, and Gwen. He even quickly fits in with his zany science teacher, Mr. Merlyn, who seems to have a magical way of knowing what troubles his students. Unfortunately, the evil Principal Dagger dislikes Artie at first sight. Se wastes no time in sending the school bully, Joe, and his horde after Artie and his friends. She then assigns Artie locker #001XCL, a locker that no one has ever been able to open that also comes with its own legend. Artie has the magic touch that opens the legendary locker, which just might help him become king of the school. Cammuso fills Artie's adventures and the characters' dialogues with humorous and recognizable references to the King Arthur legend. Throughout the quirky graphic novel, the reader learns lessons of integrity, kindness, and friendship. While this book's plot follows the same trajectory of good versus evil stories that is found in many children's stories, Cammuso does offer a funny and fresh perspective on this device through his whimsical comic drawings. This wholesome, fun read will appeal to a wide "tween" readership. Book one of the "Dodgeball Chronicles." Reviewer: Ashley Crider