Knights of the Kitchen Table

The Book is an object of power that allows Joe, Sam, and Fred to travel back in time. Its title makes it easy for readers to remember what the book is called. In appearance, The Book is a dark, dark blue that looks almost black, and it has silvery designs and stars on its cover. This gives it an otherworldly, mystical aura that makes it clear from the moment it’s unwrapped that it is special and will do strange things.

The Book represents the concept of magic working in mysterious and uncertain ways. The boys are transported back in time after Fred says it would be cool to see knights for real—though, at that point in the story, none of the boys realize what this will truly entail. Quickly, they realize that experiencing what they see in The Book’s pictures is not at all what they expected. In this way, Scieszka shows how a situation can often be very different from our expectations.

The Book is also a main staple of the Time Warp Trio as a whole. Throughout the series, it provides the avenue for Joe, Sam, and Fred to travel to different places in time.