No one knows for sure if King Arthur was a real person or even who told the first story about him, and little is known about Sir Thomas Malory, the medieval author who in 1485 published the age-old tales of King Arthur in the Middle English book Le Morte d'Arthur (The Death of Arthur). Legend has it that Malory was a "knight prisoner" during the Wars of the Roses, and he passed the long hours in prison by collecting, translating, and retelling the numerous popular legends about one of the most famous knights of all: King Arthur. Fascinated with King Arthur legends from across France, England, and Wales, Malory translated and retold them and wove them all together his book. Le Morte d'Arthur stood the test of time and now it is one of the best-known books about King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, the Knights of the Round Table, and their adventures in Camelot.

Margaret McGuire Novak is an editor and the author of several books. She lives with her family in Charlottesville, Virginia. Find her at [...].

Maïté Schmitt was born in a little town near Strasbourg in France, close to the German border. Her love of old animation movies inspired her to study illustration and animation. She has illustrated numerous books and worked on a short film, A priori, which combines two of her favorite things: books and bats. Say hello at [...].