As with robots, children’s picture books about knights are fewer and further between than I’d like. I’m not sure why. Do castles and dragons no longer captivate children’s imaginations? I’d say no, at least from my experience with my son from ages four to six especially, because he loved knights. So here are my son’s favorite books about knights that I enjoyed as much as he did. My one complaint: I wish this list was much more diverse. (Disclosure: Amazon links are affiliate links.)
My picture book posts were originally published and then occasionally expanded between 2012-2015, with reviews based on reading with my kiddo between preschool age and about eight years old. As of 2023-24, I’m freshening up my lists and adding more recs.
The Knight and the Dragon (1980) by Tomie dePaola
I’m not a big dePaola fan in general, it’s just not my style. This book, though, won me overcompletely with its humorous premise and fun details. A knight who isn’t really into fighting, a dragon who has nothing against knights – what happens when the two meet? A friendly little tale that celebrates thinking outside the box and finding your true calling. It’s a classic for a reason.
The Princess Knight (2004) by Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer
Violet is incensed when her father offers her hand in marriage as the prize for a jousting tournament. Her youngest brother offers to win the tournament to save her, but she says “Thank you, but I think I’d better see to it myself.” Her dad may end up regretting all that swordplay, jousting, and horsemanship training she’s had. The art in this one uses interesting multi-level page layouts that remind me of something, maybe medieval tapestries? It’s lovely, focused, and confident. One of our fave picture books in both the princess and knight categories.
The Knight Who Took All Day (2005) by James Mayhew
Funny sendup of a pompous knight and the squire who serves him. At five years old, Boy Detective had a very good grasp on who the real heroes of the story were. And all the people (who behaved well) lived happily ever after.
Knight Night (2012) by Owen Davey
I thought five year old Boy Detective would find this book too simple, but he was completely engrossed by the transformation of familiar daytime scenes and objects into the rich imaginary world of knights and castles. This is a beautifully illustrated book and perfect for bedtime.
Elephant Joe, Brave Knight! (2012) by David Wojtowycz
If you don’t think this is funny, you’re going to find it annoying and/or pointless. I find it hilarious. Elephant Joe and Zebra Pete set off to rescue a damsel in distress from the Dark Knight. But the damsel in distress is not who she appears to be, and there’s this frog who keeps commenting from the sidelines… you know what? It takes like five minutes to read. Just check it out from the library and let me know what you think. :)
And here are the books I’ve read on my own since my kiddo got too old for them; they’re all fantastic! I haven’t had a chance to write reviews or pull the covers yet, but click on through and see if one of them might be perfect for you.
- The Storybook Knight (2016) by Helen Docherty, illustrated by Thomas Docherty
- Nick The Knight, Dragon Slayer (2016) by Aron Dijkstra
- The One-Stop Story Shop (2019) by Tracey Corderoy, illustrated by Tony Neal (I made 16-year-old Boy Detective read this and he quite enjoyed it)
- Sir Morien: The Legend of a Knight of the Round Table (2023) by Holly Black and Kaliis Smith, illustrated by Ebony Glenn (BIPOC representation)
- The Knight of Little Import (2023) by Hannah Batsel
And that’s the list!