The Letter for the King

by Tonke Dragt

Overview

The thrilling story of one boy's battle against evil set in an enchanted world of chivalry, courage, and true friendship

Sixteen-year-old Tiuri must spend hours locked in a chapel in silent contemplation if he is to be knighted the next day. But as he waits by the light of a flickering candle, he hears a knock at the door and a voice desperately asking for help.A secret letter must be delivered to King Unauwen across the Great Mountains--a letter upon which the fate of the entire kingdom depends. Tiuri has a vital role to play, one that might cost him his knighthood. He must trust no one. He must keep his true identity secret. Above all, he must never reveal what is in the letter . . .Tiuri's journey will take him through dark, menacing forests, across treacherous rivers, to sinister castles and strange cities. He will encounter evil enemies who would kill to get the letter, but also the best of friends in the most unexpected places.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545820226
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/25/2015
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	528
File size:	20 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	11 - 14 Years

About the Author

Tonke Dragt was born in Indonesia in 1930. At twelve, she wrote her first book (with a friend) while interned in a camp run by Japanese occupiers. Her family moved to the Netherlands after the war. Dragt studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and became an art teacher. She published her first book in 1961, followed in 1962 by The Letter for the King, which has won numerous awards and has been translated into sixteen languages. Dragt was awarded the Dutch State Prize for Youth Literature and was knighted in 2001.

Read an Excerpt

From The Letter for the King:He could still hear noises on the other side of the door. Had the entire company of Grey Knights and their squires gathered outside the room? Tiuri took the letter from beneath the tablecloth and thought frantically. He needed to read the letter and destroy it, but how? If only there was a fire in the room!He was going to have to tear the letter into a thousand tiny pieces--and swallow them if necessary. But first he had to read it . . . And quickly! He broke the second seal. I need to commit the message to memory, he thought. But what if someone comes? Then it's all over . . .

Editorial Reviews

Readers accustomed to sinister or deeply entrenched mythological imaginings, or to the ambivalences of emotion and motive that by now are expected in a fantasy novel—the satirical and dystopian impulses of the Hunger Games series, say, or even the busier, benevolent educational ones of Rick Riordan—will be startled by the elementary storytelling and simple colors of this one…Yet as the book unfolds, its charms, and its at first mysterious appeal, become more evident. There are rewards in its lack of cunning. An earnest innocence is evident on every page, with a charming note of Dutch practicality perpetually ringing out…

The New York Times Book Review - Adam Gopnik

★ 05/25/2015
Following its 2013 release in the U.K., which marked its first English translation, this 1962 Dutch children’s classic now hits American shelves, allowing a wider audience to enjoy this old-fashioned tale of knights, quests, and derring-do. Sixteen-year-old Tiuri is on the brink of achieving knighthood when he answers a call for help that launches him on an journey to deliver a letter of vital importance to a neighboring kingdom. His trek through the wilderness is long and hazardous, filled with allies and enemies—from the justice-seeking Gray Knights to the ominous Red Riders—and perils at every turn. There’s a timeless charm to Tiuri’s quest, a mixture of innocence and death-defying adventure, invoking chivalric ideals and a sense of refinement. Dragt conjures up elements of Tolkien and the Arthurian mythos, combining the traditional hero’s journey with an episodic structure, as though the novel was made for serial storytelling, or to be read aloud. Though some modern readers might find the story tame or slow-paced compared to more recent offerings, the rich language, lush descriptions, and sense of wonder allow it to hold its own against any competitor. Ages 12–up. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Dragt conjures up elements of Tolkien and the Arthurian mythos... the rich language, lush descriptions, and sense of wonder allow it to hold its own against any competitor." — Publishers Weekly

"Readers will be enchanted by its timeless sense of wonder and adventure. This hero's journey evokes a legend in the making, and Tiuri embodies the classic knightly ideals of honor, valor, and chivalry." —Booklist

"The English translation of a prizewinning 1962 Dutch historical adventure exhibits... old-school charms." — Kirkus

"The characters are appealing and the action will keep readers engaged." — School Library Journal

"A true page-turner." — Sunday Times (UK)

"A thrilling, page-turning tale... My 10- and 11-year-old were both gripped." — Telegraph (UK)

From the Publisher

2015-05-18
The English translation of a prizewinning 1962 Dutch historical adventure exhibits both old-school charms and flaws. On the eve of his knighting, 16-year-old Tiuri abandons his vigil to answer an old man's desperate plea. When the knight he seeks is murdered, Tiuri is charged with the delivery of a secret message determining the fate of kingdoms, and so begins a quest rich in chivalry, daring, and deadly peril. Brave, honorable, and earnest, Tiuri's personality is matched by the straightforward prose, which meticulously chronicles every step of his journey in a meandering, episodic narrative. While encountering every make and manner of man (female characters barely exist in this world), Tiuri appears capable of judging the disposition of each at a glance, a feat made less remarkable when nearly everyone goes out of his or her way to be friendly and helpful, and the few villainous exceptions act with either inexplicable generosity or ludicrous incompetence. In stark contrast to current tropes, Tiuri's mission at the end plays only a minor role in the greater conflict of nations, the outcome of which is never addressed. Tiuri himself returns home to pick up his life precisely where he left off, richer in experience but with his character fundamentally unaltered. Short chapters and frequent mild cliffhangers make this suitable for a middle-grade classroom read-aloud; but there's little here to captivate a 21st-century reader. (Historical adventure. 10-15)

Kirkus Reviews