Book of Three 50th Anniversary Blog Tour and Giveaway

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There are some "old" books that I just can't praise enough. The Book of Three is a novel that I just adore. I use it every year with my fourth grade advanced reading group as a prime example of fantasy, a classic quest structure novel, and just because I love the characters.

Over the past few years, my students and I added yet another reason to love this series. Tom Angleberger - of Origami Yoda fame - also loves Prydain. That was more than enough to help several of my students cheerfully dive into the books.

So when I heard that there was going to be a blog tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary, I knew I wanted in. Look at these covers... just look at them! They are just beautiful. Don't forget to scroll down and enter for your very own hardback...



Paperback edition
Hardcover edition
 




















Info about the 50th Anniversary editions:
Henry Holt Books for Young Readers is proud to publish this 50th Anniversary Edition of Lloyd Alexander's classic The Book of Three, the first book in the Chronicles of Prydain, with a new introduction by Newbery Honor–winner Shannon Hale. This anniversary edition is filled with bonus materials, including an interview with Lloyd Alexander, a Prydain short story, the first chapter of the next Prydain book (The Black Cauldron, a Newbery Honor book), an author's note, and a pronunciation guide.


My Thoughts: 
Personally, I love the interactions between Eilonwy and Taran. Their banter makes me chuckle, and I love to see them grow up over the course of the whole series. Gurgi is always a student favorite. They love to compare him to Dobby in the Harry Potter series. 

I also enjoy the use of Welsh mythology as a seed for Prydain. With the popularity of Rick Riordan's novels that celebrate Greek, Roman, and Egyptian myths, getting kids curious about the stories of other cultures is a definite plus!

Don't just take my word for it, though. I had a student last year who loved the series, and I asked him to write a little description of just why he loves it...


JP drew this depiction of events in
The Book of Three
From the perspective of a fifth grader:
Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain Chronicles series are awesome in many ways. They are my favorite book series have been since fourth grade. One of the true joys of the series, in my opinion, are Mr. Alexander’s characters. They are just those kinds of characters that you fall in love with instantly, and then you want to read about them forever. Another is the vivid imagination of Lloyd Alexander that makes you sit wondering “Wow! He’s a genius! How does he come up with this stuff?”. And to be honest, that’s the mystery of authors. However, what truly catches my eye about this series is how it keeps you interested and satisfied. Once you pick up the books, you can’t stop. How it manages to keep you so intrigued is the best part of the series. And that’s what makes these books what they are: Awesome!









Resources:
Get a little more information on Welsh mythology for those curious kids: 

Learn what Lloyd Alexander had to say as he answered questions from students! 

Do you want to use The Book of Three as an example of the Hero's Journey? Check out some specifics and extra resources here:

One of my good friends loves Prydain so much she has dedicated a Pinterest board to the topic. Get some amazing fan art to help kids visualize the characters:  

The Book of Three 50th Anniversary Blog Tour

Monday September 22
YA Bibliophile

Tuesday September 23
Maria’s Melange

Wednesday September 24
The Book Wars

Thursday September 25
Bunbury in the Stacks

Friday September 26
Manga Maniac Café

Monday September 29
Read Now Sleep Later

Tuesday September 30
The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

Wednesday October 1
Word Spelunking

Thursday October 2
Proud Book Nerd

Friday October 3
Book Haven Extraordinaire

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