Title: Mary and Sir Edward
Author: Stewart T. Monti Sr.
Publisher: Stewart Monti Sr.
ISBN: 978-1631031120
Pages: 28
Genre: Children’s Book/Fable
Reviewer: Beth Adams
Hollywood Book Reviews
With a written foot of a rhythmic form of lines in verse, author Stewart T. Monti Sr. tells the story of Sir Edward of Kare, a wounded knight having an important message for his King, collapsing in exhaustion upon arriving at the farm of Mary.
Mary was out tending to her fields of corn when she noticed a man coming in her direction upon a horse, wounded, slumped over in dire need of medical attention. Dressed in chain-link body armor, along with his sword and shield, Sir Edward fell off his horse before Mary and was taken into her home to be attended by her and her mother. Unconscious for a day, Sir Edward awakens and explains he needs to tell his King there is a weakness in the enemy’s army in which an assault now will lead to victory; and his King needs to know this right away.
Other soldiers come to the farm looking for Sir Edward, while Mary and her mother hide their wounded guest out of sight. The soldiers ask where the father is, and Mary’s mother says he has left to go to town, and points in the direction. The story concludes with the strategic message being delivered to the King as victory prevails. Sir Edward befriends Mary’s dad resulting in a wedding between Sir Edward and Mary at the end – in a fairy-tale “happily ever after” fashion.
The plot moves swiftly with an enjoyable use of English, both modern and classical, bringing in the sense of the time period when Kings, Knights and soldiers battled it out with swords, shields, daggers, on horseback and on foot. The rhyming seems natural and not forced making this an impressive read. But most extraordinary are the illustrations using pen and water-colors to create artistic images – bringing in the story elements of the fable wonderfully.
Combining excitement, danger, kindness and unselfishness in the story, along with the flowing images and excellent illustrations, Mary and Sir Edward is a creative book which will linger in readers’ minds long after finishing the pages. The narrative moves swiftly – allowing for readers to insert their own intermittent details, in a way having the story being an outline for a much more immersive series of events. Whatever comes to the minds of the reading audience, Mary and Sir Edward will be remembered for their epic love and having fate play an important role in bringing these people together.