SQUIRE WITH FIRE

In debut author/illustrator Cassis’ children’s book, a 600-year-old family heirloom sparks a grandfather’s story about a squire’s values.

Seven-year-old Mac asks Grandpa about the gold ring he wears, and he explains to her that it’s been handed down through their family for centuries—ever since their ancestors served as squires. Back then, they began training at the age of 7, and if they proved themselves worthy at 14, they received a gold ring. Cassis illustrates Grandpa’s explanations of ancient chivalric traditions with colorful diagrams of a knight’s outfit, explanations of a squire’s stable responsibilities, and information about the family’s ancestor Mackenzie Stewart, a Scottish knight in the service of the legendary Sir Galahad. Grandpa uses tales from the past and the ideals of chivalry to provide Mac with guidance and direction, and the book focuses on the necessity of believing in oneself, treating others with respect, and being helpful and fair. Grandpa also tells Mac that squires aspired to be good friends to others, and to avoid bullying behavior. Overall, this effort is clearly a labor of love, and its heart is in the right place. That said, the text sometimes feels wordy and somewhat didactic. However, kids will likely enjoy a tale that Grandpa spins in the book’s latter half, which features several illustrations of an enormous, marvelously scary green dragon named Spitfire who lives in a dark, smelly cave. The queen sends Sir Galahad to rid the villagers of the dangerous creature, and brave Squire Mackenzie must step up when the dragon breaks Sir Galahad’s arm; however, Squire Mackenzie realizes that the creature is only irritable because it’s suffering from a bad cold. The story ends with a well-handled revelation that Mackenzie Stewart, for whom Mac is named, is female.

A long but sometimes-delightful illustrated work for young readers.