 Arthur: High King of Britain
Michael Morpurgo
©1994
Pavilion Books
This is the ultimate tale of chivalry and romance, of evil and magic, and of betrayal and revenge. Author Michael Morpurgo has met the challenge of superbly retelling the epic from the voice of Arthur. It begins in our own century, when a half drowned boy regains consciousness in a strange sea cave and discovers his life has been saved by a man who introduces himself as Arthur Pendragon, High King of Britain. Glad to have company after fourteen hundred years – “beyond the reach of time” – Arthur tells his story as the boy recovers.
 Arthur: High King of Britain was read by Steven Hauck.
Steven made his professional acting debut twenty years ago as Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Since then he has appeared in over one hundred stage productions across the United States and Europe.
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What do you think?
Did King Arthur actually exist? It’s been debated for hundreds of years – what do you think? Make your case for why this legend could be based on a historical figure or why you think this notion is preposterous.
Which character in the King Arthur legends do you find most intriguing? Describe and compare your qualities with that character. How are you similar, how are you different?
Camelot. A perfect world. How do you define the ideal world? Make a list of everything you would include in your Camelot. Divide your list into two parts, thing you need and things you want. Compare your list with a friend (or a parent!), what items are similar?
Online Adventures Where should you go from here?
Ever wonder what authors do with their spare time? Visit Farms for City Children and see how Michael Morpurgo and his wife Clare created a foundation to give inner city children a breath of fresh air.
Read an interview with Michael Morpurgo at and learn more about this interesting author of over 60 children’s books. The man who hated writing as a child and was thought of as “good at rugby but a bit stupid” would like to pass on some tips to young writers.
Visit Britannia’s comprehensive King Arthur section: Explore the historical evidence supporting Arthur’s existence. Reading lists, timelines, maps and biographies of Arthurian characters are also available.
Was the sword really in the stone? Read an interesting theory in Explorations in Arthurian History.
Subscribe to the quarterly journal for the International Arthurian Society – North American Branch.
Rochester University maintains a website featuring historical texts with Arthurian references and hundreds of illustrations from numerous versions of the tales.
From the CHR Librarian
If you enjoyed Arthur, and would like to read another book by Michael Morpurgo, there are many, many choices. Here are just a few:
The Dancing Bear. Houghton Mifflin Co., 1996.
Joan of Arc: Of Domremy. Harcourt, 1999.
Waiting for Anya. Bt Bound, 1999.
The War of Jenkins’ Ear. Paper Star, 1997.
Sources claim that there are over two hundred versions of Arthur’s legend! Check out Britannia’s Authurian Literature for Young Adults list and let the adventures continue!
Grace Greene from The Vermont Department of Libraries suggests you take a look at…
An Arthur Trilogy, written by Rosemary Sutcliff:
The Light Beyond the Forest. Dutton, 1979.
A retelling of the adventures of King Arthur's knights, Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, Sir Bors, and Sir Percival, as they search for the Holy Grail.
The Sword and the Circle. Dutton, 1981.
Based chiefly on Sir Thomas Malory's Le morte d'Arthur. Retells the adventures of King Arthur, Queen Guenevere, Sir Lancelot, and the other knights of the Round Table.
The Road To Camlann. Dutton, 1982.
The evil Mordred, plotting against his father King Arthur, implicates the Queen and Sir Lancelot in treachery and brings about the downfall of Camelot and the Round Table.
Gerald Morris has written a series based on Arthurian legends which includes the following titles:
A Squire’s Tale. Houghton, 1998.
In medieval England, fourteen-year-old Terence finds his tranquil existence suddenly changed when he becomes the squire of the young Gawain of Orkney and accompanies him on a long quest, proving Gawain's worth as a knight and revealing an important secret about his own true identity.
The Squire His Knight and His Lady. Houghton, 1999.
After several years at King Arthur's court, Terence, as Sir Gawain's squire and friend, accompanies him on a perilous quest that tests all their skills and whose successful completion could mean certain death for Gawain.
The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf. Houghton, 2000.
Lynet, a feisty young woman, journeys to King Arthur's court in order to find a champion to rescue her beautiful older sister, and she is joined in her quest by a clever dwarf and a bold kitchen knave, neither of whom are what they seem.
Parsifal’s Page. Houghton, 2001 (on current DCF list).
In medieval England, eleven-year-old Piers' dream comes true when he becomes page to Parsifal, a peasant whose quest for knighthood reveals important secrets about both of their families.
Nancy Springer has two titles to check out:
I Am Mordred. Philomel, 1998.
When Mordred learns the identity of his father, he struggles with feelings of hatred, but also fights the fate which determines that he kill the good and gracious king.
I Am Morgan Le Fay. Philomel, 2001 (on current DCF list).
In a war-torn England where her half-brother Arthur will eventually become king, the young Morgan le Fay comes to realize that she has magic powers and links to the faerie world.
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