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Knights of the Lunch Table #2
The Dragon Players
Artie King, the uncrowned good guy of Camelot Middle School, is back with his pals Percy and Wayne in tow as he tries to evade evil Principal Dagger, avoid the school bully Joe and his Horde, and unravel the secret of a pack of mysterious magic cards he finds in his locker. Frank Cammuso's action-packed art and comic dialogue is sure to appeal to graphic novel fans and bring new readers to the format. It's knights, knaves, and nonstop fun!
128 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2009
About the author
Frank Cammuso
36 books65 followersFrank Cammuso is the author/illustrator of the graphic novel series The Misadventures of Salem Hyde from Amulet Books. He also created the graphic novel series Knights of the Lunch Table from Graphix/Scholastic. Frank drew the comic Otto’s Orange Day and Otto’s Backwards Day for Toon-Books. He also wrote and drew his self-published graphic novel Max Hamm Fairy Tale Detective, for which he received an Eisner nomination.
Frank is the former award-winning political cartoonist for The Post-Standard newspaper in Syracuse, NY. His cartoons have been reprinted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today and Newsweek.
He has written fiction and satire with his good friend Hart Seely. Their work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Village Voice, Slate, and on National Public Radio. He’s the co-author of 2007-Eleven and Other American Comedies.
Cammuso currently teaches Sequential Illustration part-time at his alma mater, Syracuse University. He lives with his family in frosty Syracuse, NY, where they enjoy all things comics!
Frank is the former award-winning political cartoonist for The Post-Standard newspaper in Syracuse, NY. His cartoons have been reprinted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today and Newsweek.
He has written fiction and satire with his good friend Hart Seely. Their work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Village Voice, Slate, and on National Public Radio. He’s the co-author of 2007-Eleven and Other American Comedies.
Cammuso currently teaches Sequential Illustration part-time at his alma mater, Syracuse University. He lives with his family in frosty Syracuse, NY, where they enjoy all things comics!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
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February 24, 2014This book is a fictional graphic novel about Artie and his friends. They aren't the coolest or most popular kids in their school, they are getting bullied. Artie gets signed up by his devious sister into the dragon battles at their school. This is the only way he can get enough money to pay for his principals cars windshield which he broke by accident. But the problem is the bullies are using Artie's friend to build there robot dragon. What will Artie do give up or fight the bullies anyway? read The dragon players o find out. I recommended this book to anybody that likes graphing novel or non fictional stories that have so me true meaning to them.
September 8, 2022
One of the books my son and I enjoyed most. We read this comic dozens of times. There’s a lot of themes to think about.
January 29, 2020
This one was a cute, short comic that is basically a spin-off of Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. This is just comic style. I haven’t read them in order so far, so I’m not sure what the origin story is, but you’re welcome to go do that now before I tell you what this one, book two, is about.
After Wayne’s bowling ball falls through the windshield of Mrs. Dagger’s new car, Artie, Percy, and Wayne are fined by Mrs. Dagger with $300. How are middle-schoolers supposed to raise that much money?!
They consider signing up for the upcoming Dragon Day robot tournament which has a grand prize of exactly $300, but the Horde, the reigning champions, pose a problem. Each Dragon Day, the Horde cheats, forcing a fellow student to build an unbeatable robot. How can they beat an unbeatable robot?
After Artie’s sister, Morgan, signs them up for the tournament without their consent, they are forced to find some kind of solution. Faced with cheating or playing fair, with $300 at the stake, will Artie make the right decision?
This cute comic has very good morals for young children and is also entertaining for older children as well. Enjoy :)
After Wayne’s bowling ball falls through the windshield of Mrs. Dagger’s new car, Artie, Percy, and Wayne are fined by Mrs. Dagger with $300. How are middle-schoolers supposed to raise that much money?!
They consider signing up for the upcoming Dragon Day robot tournament which has a grand prize of exactly $300, but the Horde, the reigning champions, pose a problem. Each Dragon Day, the Horde cheats, forcing a fellow student to build an unbeatable robot. How can they beat an unbeatable robot?
After Artie’s sister, Morgan, signs them up for the tournament without their consent, they are forced to find some kind of solution. Faced with cheating or playing fair, with $300 at the stake, will Artie make the right decision?
This cute comic has very good morals for young children and is also entertaining for older children as well. Enjoy :)
January 4, 2019
Artie and his friends may have evaded Principle Daggers once, but when they end up in a battle of dragon building and find themselves facing off against some nasty bullies once again, their lives at middle school may end up going in flames. Cammuso continues this entertaining series with another lively and charming adventure that will keep young readers on their toes. What will it take for Artie and the gang to outwit their rivals when their own team seems to be coming apart?
May 15, 2018
Make sure you feed the right dragon.
January 9, 2019
Bought this for my kid...and really love it 💗
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February 3, 2020i like at the end how they give the person the wings
April 2, 2020
I like this book as well, the story is really funny. I like the characters, and the pictures as well. I would recommend this book to others.
July 20, 2020
Best of the series!!!!
Awesome??? Yes it has a good twist about Evo being a cheater. I thought he was going to be a good person but I guess not. Anyway, gotta go!
Awesome??? Yes it has a good twist about Evo being a cheater. I thought he was going to be a good person but I guess not. Anyway, gotta go!
August 8, 2021
Slightly better than the first one because the whole friendship and percy's secret give it another dimension.
April 27, 2020
AMAZING BOOK!!!!!!
March 15, 2017
It was short but in those short times, you are going to have a blast.
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March 15, 2017The book is about a group of friends that team up to defeat the hoard in a competition
The book was ok but it is more for the younger kids
The book was ok but it is more for the younger kids
October 16, 2009
Taken from a longer discussion about graphic novels for kids at Stacked.
I accidentally ordered the second volume of the series, the Dragon Players, instead of the first volume, the Dodgeball Chronicles. No matter - the story was easily picked up without needing an introduction.
King Arthur and the Round Table seemlessly fits into this modern day story about middle school. Artie attends Camelot Middle School with his evil sister Morgan. Of course, there's a Mr. Merlyn, a science wiz with a mysterious raven as a classroom pet. And Percy and Guen show up as Artie's best friend and love interest respectively. That's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to references to the Camelot legend. At times, I really want to go back and grab my copy of the Once and Future King, just to catch more obscure allusions in the text.
In the Dragon Players, Artie finds himself in a competition of dueling dragons - robot dragons, that is. The bullies of the school, appropriately named "The Horde," have forced Percy to build them a fearsome dragon competitor. Cammuso weaves the theme of duality from the beginning of the story to the narrative climax. I particularly loved the scene where "the ladies of the lunch" dispense a warning.
All pretty standard stuff, right? Of course the mystic lunch ladies would speak in cryptic gibberish. But Cammuso continues the exchange... with an appropriate food-related sense of humor. This, of course, totally confuses Artie.
I couldn't stop laughing, and then I forced several co-workers to listen to the dialogue.
A shadowy figure in the guise of a dorky kid named Evo shows up with an easy answer to Artie's dueling robots dilemma. And of course, Artie and his friends have to go through harrowing hijinx before they must make a decision. Kids will definitely identify with Artie; he's savvy, street-wise, but a little uncertain at the same time. Like most kids, he looks to his friends and his mentors for advice... but Artie can also look to his magic locker (a middle school version of Excalibur) for a more unique form of guidance.
The art is fantastic - the characters are drawn with deft, broad strokes. The coloring is vibrant, appealing to both younger kids and their parents. I'm not extremely visually oriented; I read text too fast. But I found myself going back through the pages a second (and even a third) time to absorb all of the small details in the background of the panels. The stories pertain to middle schoolers, but younger elementary school readers will eat up this series.
I accidentally ordered the second volume of the series, the Dragon Players, instead of the first volume, the Dodgeball Chronicles. No matter - the story was easily picked up without needing an introduction.
King Arthur and the Round Table seemlessly fits into this modern day story about middle school. Artie attends Camelot Middle School with his evil sister Morgan. Of course, there's a Mr. Merlyn, a science wiz with a mysterious raven as a classroom pet. And Percy and Guen show up as Artie's best friend and love interest respectively. That's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to references to the Camelot legend. At times, I really want to go back and grab my copy of the Once and Future King, just to catch more obscure allusions in the text.
In the Dragon Players, Artie finds himself in a competition of dueling dragons - robot dragons, that is. The bullies of the school, appropriately named "The Horde," have forced Percy to build them a fearsome dragon competitor. Cammuso weaves the theme of duality from the beginning of the story to the narrative climax. I particularly loved the scene where "the ladies of the lunch" dispense a warning.
Arthur, King of Middle School,
Within thy heart, two dragons duel.
One is warm and one is cook,
In thy life just one shall rule.
All pretty standard stuff, right? Of course the mystic lunch ladies would speak in cryptic gibberish. But Cammuso continues the exchange... with an appropriate food-related sense of humor. This, of course, totally confuses Artie.
French fries... or veggie sticks?
Who knows which dragon you shall pick?
Chef salad... or pizza cheesy?
One is right and one is easy.
I couldn't stop laughing, and then I forced several co-workers to listen to the dialogue.
A shadowy figure in the guise of a dorky kid named Evo shows up with an easy answer to Artie's dueling robots dilemma. And of course, Artie and his friends have to go through harrowing hijinx before they must make a decision. Kids will definitely identify with Artie; he's savvy, street-wise, but a little uncertain at the same time. Like most kids, he looks to his friends and his mentors for advice... but Artie can also look to his magic locker (a middle school version of Excalibur) for a more unique form of guidance.
The art is fantastic - the characters are drawn with deft, broad strokes. The coloring is vibrant, appealing to both younger kids and their parents. I'm not extremely visually oriented; I read text too fast. But I found myself going back through the pages a second (and even a third) time to absorb all of the small details in the background of the panels. The stories pertain to middle schoolers, but younger elementary school readers will eat up this series.
January 20, 2010
Artie and his friends are back for a second adventure in the halls of Camelot Middle School! This time, Dragon Day is upon them, with its charity auction and robot duel. The Horde is back, too, demanding that Artie's friend Percy build them a winning robot. Nobody wants to go up against the Horde, least of all Artie--so when he learns that someone signed him up against his will, his only option is to find someone who can help him build a better bot! The secret weapon Artie acquires would be just the thing to help him win the contest--but he can't shake the feeling that using it is just the sort of thing the Horde would do.
As with The Dodgeball Chronicles, the artwork is inviting and the action pulls readers along. The writing is smoother in this second book (possibly due to the need for less exposition) and the characters' personalities are distinct from each other. More than objective benchmarks about quality, though, this is a good graphic novel for upper-elementary students about cheating and bullying (namely, don't do either one), with the messages delivered subtly. Do Artie's friends help him out with building the robot? How do they fare in the contest? Adults won't find many surprises here, but the target audience will enjoy the drama leading up to these answers.
As with The Dodgeball Chronicles, the artwork is inviting and the action pulls readers along. The writing is smoother in this second book (possibly due to the need for less exposition) and the characters' personalities are distinct from each other. More than objective benchmarks about quality, though, this is a good graphic novel for upper-elementary students about cheating and bullying (namely, don't do either one), with the messages delivered subtly. Do Artie's friends help him out with building the robot? How do they fare in the contest? Adults won't find many surprises here, but the target audience will enjoy the drama leading up to these answers.
October 24, 2010
I didn't like this one as well as I did the first one. Part of the reason is that the contest between the robots isn't very realistic - and it could have been. When the engineering school of the local university where I used to live held its Engineering Open House, they held a competition between teams that built robots. But it was a series of challenges that the robots had to negotiate, such as climbing up a ramp, picking up a ping-pong ball, taking that ball to a funnel and dropping it in the funnel, etc. A fight to destroy the other robot only works between two robots - and there were more than two robots entered. It makes for violence and a battle, but it doesn't make a good contest.
I was also less than fond of the other sub-plots - the bully breaking the airplane and throwing the remote controller in the junk yard. The principal, who is also a bully, getting the $300 at the end. She deserved it, as the kids had damaged her car, but it felt more like a payoff than a pay back for damage done.
The kids are still likable, the art good, and the story interesting, but I am more ambiguous about this one.
I was also less than fond of the other sub-plots - the bully breaking the airplane and throwing the remote controller in the junk yard. The principal, who is also a bully, getting the $300 at the end. She deserved it, as the kids had damaged her car, but it felt more like a payoff than a pay back for damage done.
The kids are still likable, the art good, and the story interesting, but I am more ambiguous about this one.
June 26, 2010
Much like the first volume in the series, this is one great kids graphic novel! Bright colorful pictures and a cast of characters you'll love!
Artie has settled into his new school and is excited for the upcomging Dragon's Day. After one of his friend's accidentally breaks the principal's windshield, Artie and co. have to enter the Dragon's Day Duel to try and win the $300 they have to come up with to fix the principal's car. Dragon's Day Duel involves building robots and then dueling until one robot can no longer function. Desperate to win, Artie learns of Evo, a former boy genius who once bested the competition. Evo builds them a dastardly remote that shorts out any electrical device. Artie now has to decide whether to cheat, thereby dishonouring the Knights but winning $300, or to keep integrity and do his best to beat the Hoarde.
Great novel that will appeal to kids and adults!
Artie has settled into his new school and is excited for the upcomging Dragon's Day. After one of his friend's accidentally breaks the principal's windshield, Artie and co. have to enter the Dragon's Day Duel to try and win the $300 they have to come up with to fix the principal's car. Dragon's Day Duel involves building robots and then dueling until one robot can no longer function. Desperate to win, Artie learns of Evo, a former boy genius who once bested the competition. Evo builds them a dastardly remote that shorts out any electrical device. Artie now has to decide whether to cheat, thereby dishonouring the Knights but winning $300, or to keep integrity and do his best to beat the Hoarde.
Great novel that will appeal to kids and adults!
December 17, 2016
So much to love about this well-constructed graphic novel for middle grade readers. References to the King Arthur legend abound. Mr. Merlyn is a wise but cool character, a tough combination to get right. But my personal favorite characters are the cauldron-stirring, soothsaying lunch ladies, straight out of Macbeth.
Cammuso really nails middle school. Artie King is a reluctant hero that many middle schoolers (regardless of gender) will relate to and root for. The vibrant full-color artwork is good and supports the story well.
In this second series installment of the Knights of the Lunch Table, Artie and his friends have a moral dilemma to deliberate. Is it okay to cheat in a competition when you know for a fact that your opponents are cheating? The plot of this book is discrete, so it is not necessary to read this series in order.
Cammuso really nails middle school. Artie King is a reluctant hero that many middle schoolers (regardless of gender) will relate to and root for. The vibrant full-color artwork is good and supports the story well.
In this second series installment of the Knights of the Lunch Table, Artie and his friends have a moral dilemma to deliberate. Is it okay to cheat in a competition when you know for a fact that your opponents are cheating? The plot of this book is discrete, so it is not necessary to read this series in order.
February 2, 2010
Artie and his pals need $300 bad (it's a long story but the principal's new car needs a new windshield) and coincidently the Dragon Day dueling robot tournament first prize is $300! The problem is not can the boys win...but can they win without cheating? Funny, well-drawn, realistic dialogue and a positive (but not in a beat you over the head way) moral! I'll be taking this to summer reading visits.
August 16, 2012
I read the 3rd one of these because I got it in a book order. I loved it so much I had to read the first two as well. In this second one the knights are in a robot war. I love that all throughout the whole graphic novel there are allusions to King Arthur, Camelot, and the whole story! This is an incredibly clever and well written and well illustrated graphic novel! I loved it and I know that the kids, especially the boys will love it too!
March 24, 2014
When an accident leads to destruction of Ms. Dagger's property, Artie and his pals are scheming to come up with $300 to help cover the repairs. A Robot Battle offers them the chance to win the money they need and gain a few bragging rights.
I love the way this series features complicated plot twists that all work out in the end. Even the smallest insignificant detail comes into play somehow in the conclusion.
Recommended for grades 3-5.
I love the way this series features complicated plot twists that all work out in the end. Even the smallest insignificant detail comes into play somehow in the conclusion.
Recommended for grades 3-5.
May 16, 2014
One of the difficulties with sequels is that the audience already has expectations.
I liked the duality of choices evident in this book. It's a lesson I wish my students would learn.
I'm really liking the lunch ladies.
The ending was a bit too... expected.
I'm looking forward to The Battling Bands.
I liked the duality of choices evident in this book. It's a lesson I wish my students would learn.
I'm really liking the lunch ladies.
The ending was a bit too... expected.
I'm looking forward to The Battling Bands.
July 21, 2012
These graphic novels would be great for inference- often a section of the story is skipped and the reader has to infer what happened.
I loved the lesson about how each of us has duelings dragons within ourselves and we have to decide which dragon to feed.
Originally read: December 23, 2012
Reread: July 21, 2012
I loved the lesson about how each of us has duelings dragons within ourselves and we have to decide which dragon to feed.
Originally read: December 23, 2012
Reread: July 21, 2012
May 29, 2010
Even graphic novels can have a moral. Bullies, Science project, middle school drama, friendship...sure to cover most of my kids' interests. My one complaint? Why must the principal always appear as a villain?
This one should be popular with my readers. I can't wait to add it to the library/booktalk it.
This one should be popular with my readers. I can't wait to add it to the library/booktalk it.
March 7, 2013
I can't pinpoint what it is about Knights of the Lunch Table I enjoy so much, but this is another solid entry into that series. Where the first book was centered around a dodgeball game, this one involves a robotics tournament. It has the good messages that are required for books for this age group, but it's otherwise just a fun read that doesn't work too hard and gets the job done.
February 9, 2011
If you haven't read a graphic novel before, this is a good place to start. If you don't spend the time looking at the pictures, you miss out on parts of the story. I had to "reread" a few times. Typical geek kids get picked on by bullies and the "geeks" win. One interesting side story is the mean old lady principal with her sidekick Miss Flunke.
July 21, 2011
Artie and is Knights try to wrangle their way into a $300 prize robot duel--the only thing is that the Horde has threatened them if they should win. Winning is the only thing they can do because they owe Mrs. Dagger, bigtime, and she expects payment. This is an adventure sure to interest graphic novel readers. Recommended for grades 3-6.
February 17, 2015
This book cost me less than a dollar, for the price this was a cute little story that takes the Arthur myth modernize it and make it about kids. A fun take even if it is as subtle as a brick. The brother sister relationship is a little too close to home... haha I will keep an eye out for others in this series.
March 1, 2010
Artie King's--or Arthur King of Camelot Middle School--challenges continue as he tries to be a good friend, take on the bullies, and learn to fight metaphorical dragons without resorting to their cheating, dishonest methods.
October 1, 2011
Probably won't read any more of these, mainly just because the audience is obviously from younger kids. Clever touches of Arthurian legends. Only criticism would be there's some abrupt narration changes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews