The Battle
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley June 23, 2020
Author Ashling Kwok and Cara King
Distributor: Exisle Publishing
ISBN: 9781925820409
Publisher: EK/Exisle Publications
Release Date: June 2020
Website: https://exislepublishing.com
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Edward is facing his very first ever day at Knight school and he is very, very worried. He is expecting to have a day filled with Battles, and as every Knight, big or small knows, the best way to deal with a Battle is to wear all your armour.
So, Edward puts on his armour, including his helmet and walks ever so slowly to the great hall where the King is to address the new students. When the King asked Edward to introduce himself to the rest of the students, Edwards simply wished he was anywhere else but right there, but found the courage to answer the King, who smiled back at him.
Ashling Kwok and Cara King have created a wonderful tale of overcoming those first day fears in The Battle, as Edward puts on his very brave face and heads off into a strange new world of possibly dragons, giants and ogres.
Somehow Edward manages to survive the morning, but when it comes to lunchtime and he has to go outside in the playground, oh, dear me, what terrible things may happen. When an ogre with bright blue hair, called Lucy, sits down next to him, poor Edward does not know what to think or do.
Then some monsters he recognises from his class want to know if he would like to play hide and seek; maybe this is a trick too he thinks, but when Lucy joins in he realises he really would like someone to play with and joins in as well.
Captured perfectly in The Battle is the anxiety felt by many small children when they have to face up to going it alone, in new surrounding with new faces and people to meet. The way Edward chooses to overcome his fear of change has been sensitively captured, both through both the text and illustrations, with Edwards cheeks moving from apple red to a more normal colour as he begins to realise all the other monsters there are just like him!
The Battle is perfect for children who are fearful of change, especially beginning school or undertaking any new experience.