A graphic book: Young Arthur spends his days working as a squire, helping his big brother. Meanwhile England is in chaos, left without a king. But all that changes one day with one pull by Arthur on the mysterious “Sword in the Stone”. Guided by Merlin the Magician, Arthur takes his place as the heir to England's throne. He receives the sword Excalibur and wins the loyalty of the Knights of the Round Table. But can the young king win peace and freedom for England? English glossary. Hardback. Full-colour illustrations throughout.
Level: 8. kl

This is a relaunch of Raymond Briggs' classic strip cartoon. Jim Bloggs and Hilda are a simple, innocent old married couple with a resolute faith in "the powers that be". This misplaced trust remains unshaken even after these same powers have involved them in a cataclysmic nuclear war. They remain determined to do everything the government tells them, following the contradictory and useless advice in their 'Protect And Survive' leaflets to the letter. The instructions they follow are based on real leaflets distributed to the British public in the early 1980s. The couple haplessly attempt to construct a shelter made of cushions and doors placed "at 60 degrees to a wall" and gather together emergency supplies consisting of ginger nuts, a Christmas pud, and a tin of pineapple chunks. "It'll take more than a few bombs to bring me down," says Hilda and the two go about their preparations with determined good humour, even managing to remain stoical after the bombs have gone off and the fallout starts to kill them. Their touching affection and optimism, combined with their failures to understand the horror of their situation produce a rare grim and satirical humour and a monument to human values in the face of inhumanity. The film is available on DVD (see below). (27.8 standard pages)
Level: C+