Book Discussion Guide

The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short by Gerald Morris

Sir Givret may be small, but he is a powerful force! After protecting Queen Guinevere from unflattering remarks, King Arthur names Sir Givret a knight! In this chapter book, you and your child will follow Sir Givret and a hilarious bunch of characters through several quests. Your family will laugh together as Sir Givret dishes out clever insults and bravely tackles numerous challenges with his sharp thinking. Your child will be fully engaged as Sir Givret and his friends face sword fights, giants, and bandits. This book is the second in the series: The Knights Tales. Check this book out and get your child hooked on a new and exciting series!

Questions To Talk About
While Reading

Vocabulary

It's important to make sure that your child has an understanding of key words in the book. Talking about words while reading is a great way for your child to learn new words.

In this book, you might talk about these words:

prodigious (pg. 2)
cowardice (pg. 5)
insult (pg. 11)
summoned (pg. 23)
recreant (pg. 23)
taunts (pg. 26)
mystique (pg. 32)
courtesy (pg. 38)
solemn (pg. 46)
stricken (pg. 58)
reassuringly (pg. 70)
confidence (pg. 75)
indignantly (pg. 94)
slain (pg. 96)
vengeance (pg. 97)

You might use a question like:

In the book, what does the word recreant mean? Find the word on page 23. How do the sentences that follow it help you to understand what it means?

Key Ideas and Themes

In addition to words, it's important to talk about key ideas and themes and how they develop over the course of the book.

Here are some examples to get you started:

1
The author talks a bit about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table at the beginning of the first chapter. Talk about this with your child, asking questions like, “Why did people think King Arthur was so great? What was the knight’s job?” Encourage him or her to use details from the book during the discussion.
2
How does Givret’s choice to escort the queen affect the sequence of events? Have your child recount the events as they happen in the book, giving reasons for the progressions of the plot.
3
Sir Givret has some qualities that are not exactly knightly, but they help throughout the book. Talk about what his qualities are. How do they help him? What words does the author use to describe Sir Givret? You can use the following examples from the story to talk about Sir Givret’s character:
a. Sir Givret’s interaction with Sir Yoder.
b. Sir Givret’s interaction with Erec and Enide.
c. Look for more in the story!
4
What is the purpose of the sentences in parentheses throughout the story? For example, on page 32: ‘“Ask whatsoever thou wilt, and be it in my power, I shall aid thee to the utmost!’ (‘Sure. Ask away.’)” Talk to your child about how the author uses parentheses for a specific purpose and how they help the reader understand the book.
5
Sir Givret learns an important lesson in the book. Ask your child what he or she thinks he means when Sir Givret thinks, “there were other kinds of brilliance (pg. 51)”? Discuss with your child how Sir Givret’s opinion of Sir Erec changes throughout the book. What lesson does he learn?
6
One theme of this book is that having a sharp mind can be the best tool in solving problems. How does this theme develop throughout Sir Givret’s adventures? As you discuss this theme with your child, ask him or her to find sections of the story where a character uses his or her mind to solve a problem.

Extra Activities

1
The author, Gerald Morris, uses a lot of humor to engage readers in The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short. Invite your child to share some of the parts he or she found most entertaining. Ask, “What do you think made that part so funny? How does the author do that?”
2
Continue reading The Knights’ Tales series and learn more about other knights like Sir Gawain, Sir Lancelot and Sir Balin.