These new books in the Crabtree Connections series blur the boundary between fiction and nonfiction. Each title in the series strives for one of nine different goals, from "biography" to "instruction." Knight Survival Guide, in the "information" category, uses the second person engagingly to place readers in the position of a medieval knight. Unfortunately, it also promotes misconceptions about women as knights and fails to differentiate between facts (such as the path from page to squire to knight) and legends (such as the quest for the Holy Grail). Additional facts and colorful photos keep all the books visually interesting. The back matter of each book includes a one-page glossary, which defines words appearing in boldface in the text; a page of further reading suggestions, including both websites and books; and a one-page index.

Gr 1-3 Fighting, feasting, and jousting make knights interesting, and Claybourne's book has fun pictures and facts about how to become a knight, being captured by the enemy, and partying with beautiful ladies. Some pages organize the information in list format, which enhances comprehension. Also, readers will enjoy the tips featured on each page. This resource is excellent, but on the final page, information about quests is presented and dragons seem to be real. This mixing of fiction with nonfiction is confusing. Mason explains the three-step process to becoming a knight: page, squire, and knighthood. He takes a boy from page at age 7 to squire at 14, when he stands next to his knight during battles. If the squire survives to age 21 and has obeyed all the rules, then the king declares him a knight. Little glamour and a good amount of disgusting facts make this a perfect read for boys interested in medieval times. While probably true, the last sentence is a downer: "However, if a knight isn't killed in battle, he will probably die young anyway from disease." Realistic photos and illustrations appear on every page. Rachel Artley, Watertown Elementary School, TN