This was really not what I was expecting. It was a cute story with a funny new take on dragons. I just discovered that there is another book after this one, so I’m glad I have a chance to see what happens next.

I appreciate how Elys Dolan took the idea of knights and dragons and turned it on its head. If you want to read a story with classic knights and dragons, there are plenty of them out there. It’s fun to flip things on their head and see what happens.

Author: Elys Dolan
Publisher: Printers Row Publishing Group and Silver Dolphin Books
Publication Date: 02 Jul 2019

This novel has the perfect humor construction for young readers: characters are oblivious to facts that will be obvious to the reader. Knights who are fooled by a mustache on a dragon. A king who doesn't recognize that a goat is not a person. That kind of thing. It will likely have young readers in giggles, and might just elicit a chuckle or two from parents. Even better, very little of the humor resorts to the gross out factor. It's not especially complicated but remains fairly innocent and has an underlying message of acceptance.

While it was a really cute story, I don't think I will be purchasing this title. Had the book been officially set in Germany (or somewhere close), then I think the random German phrases from the goat would have made more sense. As it was, it just didn't work and looked really out of place.

I enjoyed this illustrated chapter book... for the most part. The story of a little green dragon named Dave is pretty amusing. Dave is terrible at being a dragon. So, armed with his copy of Knighthood for Beginners, he sets out to become a knight instead. Along the way, he gains a friend in the form of his trusty "steed", Albrecht (who's actually a goat); saves a kingdom; rescues a princess; goes to couples therapy with Albrecht (as one does with their "steed"); and helps people find their own calling. But when Dave finds out that knights must slay dragons, his whole plan is put in jeopardy.

The illustrations are cute and there are a lot of them; this would be a good book for reluctant readers, as the text is broken up by lots of illustrations. However, I can't wholeheartedly recommend this book for a couple of reasons. First, the pacing is off. It starts out great, but then the story takes some detours that are rather boring. Second... the commas. Oh, the commas. I'm not sure if the author even knows how to use them properly. There are a lot of them missing. And sometimes they're where they shouldn't be. A lot of readers might not be bothered by that sort of thing, but I found it very distracting.

For a fun fantasy romp, this is okay. But it could've been even better had the punctuation been cleaned up a little.

Super cute, fun story for kids. Dave is a terrible dragon and decides being a knight might be better and easier. With his trusty steed, Albrecht, who is a German goat, IDK why, they go off in search of the proper way to become a knight! Full of laughs and cute illustrations, this is sure to hold a kid's attention AND their parent(s)'! Recommended for elementary school ages.

Knighthood for Beginners is the adorable (and silly) tale of a dragon named Dave who was terrible at being a dragon. He was terrible at hoarding gold, terrible at eating villages, terrible at knitting, and had stage fright when trying to give riddles out. However, he was good at reading books and after failing the dragon test, he picked up the book 'Knighthood for Beginners' and immediately knew what he wanted to do with his life.

Dave's 'Knighthood for Beginners' provided him with a step-by-step instruction on how to be a knight and of course the first chapter addressed the trusty steed, which is how he meets Albrecht - a talking goat. Albrecht agrees to come out of retirement and to become Dave's mentor, trainer, trusty steed, and life coach on his quest to become a knight.

However, getting a trusty steed is only chapter 1 of Dave's "Knighthood for Beginners' and Dave and Albrecht soon find themselves setting off to finish the rest of the chapters step-by-step instructions.

Elys Dolan's Knighthood for Beginners is a fun, silly, and adorable tale to read. The book has a wide variety of adventures and individuals: including jousting, imprisonment, a witch, bad guys, and a bearded lady just to name a few. There are many, many pictures in the book which help demonstrate what Dave and Albrecht are encountering at any given time as well as bring out extra background humor. The chapters are just the right length and may even seem shorter than they are since there are a lot of pictures. The book also gives the reader a chance to learn a little German since Albrecht speaks it from time to time. (A list of the German words and their translation can be found at the end of the book.) There is also a lot of opportunities to act out the book and its funny moments - especially if it is being read aloud or with someone. At the end, the book leaves open the possibility for more Dave and Albrecht books, plus a "Where are they now" section that provides updates on all the reader's favorites within the story.

"Knighthood for Beginners" is a fun junior level novel with some graphic novel elements to it. I really enjoyed this one and will recommend it at my library.

Knighthood for Beginners is an illustrated chapter book aimed at middle grade readers. First published in 2017, this re-release is due out 2nd July 2019 from Silver Dolphin. It's 208 pages and will be available in ebook and paperback formats.

This is an exuberantly appealing book. There are many genuinely funny moments and I really loved Small Dragon Dave and his feisty sidekick Albrecht the Goat. The author/artist Elys Dolan has a deft and sure hand with both narrative and illustration. There is a rollicking farcical quality to the narrative, but she manages to include themes of friendship, honesty, integrity, cooperation, and not least, being true to oneself. Just a wonderfully funny, uplifting, and happy book.

The inclusion of the epilogue at the end of the book with illustrated "where are they now" sidebars, and adverts just slayed me. What a wonderful imagination and sense of humour the author has!

This would be a superlative reading circle book or read-along. There is limitless potential for funny voices and sound effects whilst reading this one aloud. It would make a wonderful library book or gift for a bookish 7-11+ year old.

Five stars. I adored this book.

This book was adorable!!! I thought it was so cute and clever. It had me laughing and couldn’t wait to show my stepdaughter this book.