Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood by Tony Lee

-- School Library Journal, 9/9/2009

From the September issue

LEE, Tony. Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood. illus. by Sam Hart. unpaged. Candlewick. Sept. 2009. RTE $21.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-4399-7; pap. $11.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-4400-0. LC 200894331.

Gr 7 Up–The classic story of Robin Hood is told from the formative years of his childhood to the thrilling challenges and successes of his adulthood. The book begins when Robin is both traumatized and motivated by the Sheriff of Nottingham’s brutal punishment of outlaw Will O’ the Green, then covers his experiences years later in the Holy Land during the Crusades, and follows his return to England. The rich detail in this story, especially during Robin’s time in Jerusalem, might send readers scrambling for earlier versions of Robin Hood to figure out which parts of this book are from the "original" story and which parts sprang from Lee’s imagination. Luckily, the "Who Is Robin Hood?" addendum by Allen W. Wright clears up some of this confusion, explaining how the legendary story has evolved over the course of almost 800 years. Lee’s excellent rendition of the famed selfless hero goes hand-in-hand with Hart’s expressive illustrations, featuring lots of close-ups and dramatic lighting and a beautiful jewel-toned palette. Teens will get caught up in this exciting page-turner, which is one of the most dynamic retellings of a classic tale in recent years. In the pantheon of memorable renditions of Robin Hood there was Errol Flynn, there was Daffy Duck–and now there is Tony Lee’s Outlaw.–Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library