The story of the hero of Sherwood Forest is retold in this compelling, heartwarming, illustrated adventure book for older children. This team (Arthur, High King of Britain, 1994) deftly removes Robin from his pedestal and sets him in a realistic and exciting recreation of King John's despotic realm. Readers will learn that Robin's father inspired the lad's heroism by risking his own life to feed starving villagers; they'll see how Robin and Marion first met, and discover that the young beauty was also heroic and a talented swordswoman; and they'll witness the cruelty and suffering inflicted on the kingdom by King John's greed. Unfortunately, the opening and closing chapters, which tie the story to the present, seem unnecessary, bookends nailed on without the punch of the epic itself. Foreman's drawings convey a jaunty, adventurous feel, well-suited to the tale: They evoke the lush green of an earlier British countryside, and also capture the ferocity of battle, minus the gore. Resonant and satisfying. (Fiction. 9-14)
