The brave knight and the smiling queen

Critical Reviews

This attractive edition confirms the beautiful feelings of a tender relationship in the eyes of young readers. However, it also reminds us adults of the important relationship we had with our own grandmas and grandpas, an indispensable relationship that provides a child with lifelong love.
Angeliki Mastromichalaki, Chiakos Laos newspaper, 20/05/22

A wonderful game between grandchild and grandmother. Transformations, disguises and a fantasy-fire that captivate. The young hero is dubbed a knight by the smiling, gentle queen who is none other than his granny. He swears to accompany her everywhere, to protect her and be her guardian angel. Positivity, love and grace radiate from Makis Tsitas’s lines.
Asimina Xiroyianni, fractalart.gr, 22/12/21

I read this book by Makis Tsitas and it moves me, because in very simple language he tells a love story that is both fundamental and honest. He presents the relationship between a child and a grandmother.
Koula Panagou, kosvoice.gr, 04/04/20

“Tsitas writes this book as if he were himself four years old and what makes the greatest impression is the incredible innocence, his signature style, with which he writes his texts. There is no doubt you will love this book and even more certain is that you will love reading it to your children.”
Kostas Koulis, noizy.gr, 17/03/20

“With a wonderful, fairy tale manner, the author passes on lessons that are accessible to young children.”
Niki Salpadimou, Noumas newspaper, February 2020

“The young hero himself narrates the wonderful, daily adventures he has with his grandmother, as well as the responsibility he feels towards her as her protector, her brave knight and hero. The spare ‘childish’ words are tender, rich with the authenticity that only the eye of the child can distinguish, embracing with tenderness every need and… every difficulty.”
Sophia Politou-Ververi, nakasbookhouse.gr, 21/01/20

“At last a queen who is truly different.”
Anastasia Kamvisi, marieclaire.gr, 24/12/19

“Makis Tsitas takes his readers by the hand, urging them on to great feats, like defeating the giant mosquito that terrorizes the land, ensuring the health and peace of the person he is called on to protect. His own queen.”
Erika Athanasiou, kifisianews.gr, December 2019

“I have often referred to and expressed my admiration for Makis Tsitas’ writing style, its compactness and the exceptional economy of language whereby not only a message is delivered, but also the way in which his protagonists deliver it.
“Once more, Makis Tsitas manages to focus on and intelligently discuss love in a manner that is both contemporary and enduring. Helping him is the inspired work of Costas Theoharis, who captures the text in illustrations with a delightful and crystal-clear approach that not only connects with the text, but underscores, in his artistic style, the timelessness of love, of security, of respect, of wonder and of freedom – qualities that the author highlights in his story [...]
“It is an exceptional book that will make you think, as well as enjoy with the children, the courageous knights of your life.”
Toula Repapi, literature.gr, 12/12/19

“M. Tsitas manages, in few words, to describe insightfully characters and familial relationships, as well as social situations. [...] With his insight into childhood, he manages to describe with tenderness the relationship of grandmother and grandchild.
“In large format, this thoughtfully produced book gives Costas Theoharis the opportunity to put his interesting artistic compositions on display.”
Manos Kontoleos, fractalart.gr, 27/11/19

“As in all his works, and mainly in his children’s books, Makis Tstas exercises a discreet pedagogy, observing the everyday behavior of children within the family and, without conspicuous gesturing, tenderly intervenes and corrects bad behavior while promoting the good, as is the present case.”
Anthoula Daniil, Avgi Sunday edition, 04/11/19

“Once again, Makis Tsitas presents, in his own special way, the loving moments of a family relationship using a child’s imagination as his tool! It is a clever and tender fairytale, accompanied by beautiful illustrations from Kostas Theocharis, for grandmothers to read to their grandchildren and grandchildren to their grandmothers, together sharing in its magic. A book that represents a small cornerstone in the fairytale relationship between generations, one built on mutual respect, security and love.”
Pelio Papadia, talcmag.gr, 01/10/19

“Tsitas's texts are simple, he employs everyday language, but they have the consistency and gravity of the plain speech of ordinary people who say little, but mean a lot. They say things as they are. The words he uses, the phrases, the expressions in general, have the beauty and the grace, the poetry of simple things, like the terracotta figurines of Tanagra.”
Eleni Choreanthi, fractalart.gr, 02/10/19

“A book filed with tenderness, love, family moments and truths. The grandma, who represents a very important relationship in the life of any person, is superbly described by Makis Tsitas in a way that befits such a distinguished individual.
A story that is tender, true and like a fairytale, is accompanied by superb and extraordinary illustrations of Kostas Theocharis.
Imaginative and well written. A story that is both moving and told with humor, and which will become a favorite of many children.”
Eleni Betinaki, cretalive.gr, 28/09/19

“This short book by Makis Tsitas, in the footsteps of his three previously released books, moves you emotionally. It touches your heart and makes you say: ‘this is grandma I wish to have.’”
Apostolos Pappos, elniplex.com, 01/10/19

“The author has already shown his abilities to craft readable stories for children, but here he has created a diamond. This exceptional book, a jewel published by Kalenti, is richly illustrated by Kostas Theocharis, with illustrations that blend perfectly with the text.”
Dioni Dimitriadou, Me Anoihta Vivlia (Με ανοιχτά βιβλία), 04/10/19

“An inventive children’s book, from two accomplished artists that combines simple, but imaginative, writing with inspired illustrations to create an outstanding result. Totaling 40 pages and aimed at children aged four and above. An exceptional fairytale, that teaches respect and love for the elderly. Interesting, unique and simply superb.”
Mikri Paramithou (Μικρή Παραμυθού), 28/09/19

“Tenderness, love, grace arises from the lines of Makis Tsitas. Plain, simple, always to the point, he wins over his young readers, he draws them in so they too would like to join in the fun with their own loved ones.”
Asimina Xirogianni, Fractalart.gr, 29/10/19

“For a children's book to be good, takes a lot of mastery. To be extraordinary, the mastery must touch the realm of magic. In a way that one word effortlessly leads to another and one image to the next, in a way that one phrase follows the other either to support or contradict it, in the way that each double-page (a living room) is its own world but also an integral part of the book’s universe. Here we have an example of such an extraordinary work, accomplished by the happy marriage of the pure and evocative speech of Makis Tsitas, with the sweet, fairytale and perfectly matched illustrations of Kostas Theocharis. Enjoyable!”
Rania Bobouri, lesvosnews.net, 04/11/19

“A tender book that you can be read over and over again with your children. Consider reading it with the child and grandpa and remember me.”
Mary Liodou, mommyjammi.gr, 04/10/19