The toe-tappin' show Camelot—the musical version of T.H. White's The Once and Future King—was said to be President Kennedy's favorite bedtime listening. Probably, JFK harbored fantasies of being remembered fondly for centuries, like good old King Arthur. Your students are less likely to be so enamored, even though the first two books of the novel are often described as the "pinnacle of fantasy" (up until Harry Potter, of course) what with the inclusion of unicorns, talking animals, magic, griffins, and a yummy castle made of food. There's a lot going on—and whenever T.H. White includes Merlyn, you know high jinks (and pointy white beards) will ensue.

The compelling thing about this version of Arthur's legend is the anti-knight, anti-war, anti-typical medieval customs message that White throws into the book. The knights were often perceived as meaty jocks in a B-rated teen movie—all muscle with very little brain. The Might vs. Right theme is explored thoroughly, with the conclusion being that a hefty dose of learning and established intelligence are the only worthy pursuits in life. This doesn't fall into step with most stories about Arthur and his knights.