Expatriate Australian painter and illustrator Margaret Early, who has also produced such gems as William Tell, Sleeping Beauty and Romeo and Juliet, here turns to the classic English folk hero of Robin Hood, and the result is a lovely picture-book. Covering many of the major events of the Robin Hood story - the dispossession of Robert, son of the Earl of Huntingdon, of his lands, and the creation of the outlaw Robin Hood; the meetings between Robin Hood and Little John, Friar Tuck, Sir Richard of the Lea and Alan A'Dale; the duel and marriage of Robin and Maid Marian; the archery contest in Nottingham; the arrival of King Richard; the death of Robin - the book pairs a full page of text on the left-hand side of each two-page spread with beautiful medieval style illustrations on the right...

I have loved the story of Robin Hood ever since I was a little girl, first encountering it in the pages of Henry Gilbert's Robin Hood, a copy of which belonged to my mother as a child, and was subsequently passed down to me. I first read Margaret Early's retelling back in 1996, when it was published, and for many years I owned my own copy, until an unfortunate flood decimated my personal library. I recall thinking, reading this years ago, that Early's medieval style - somewhat flat, but beautifully ornate, with gorgeous decorative borders - was well-suited to the story. Picking it up today and reading it again, I still feel the same way, and I particularly enjoyed the banquet scene, with its use of red and gold, and the scene in which the outlaws, mounted on horseback in the snow, are giving aid to the impoverished people of the countryside. The story itself is engaging (of course!), although very text-heavy for a picture-book. I'd almost call this an illustrated short story, much like some of Early's other titles. Recommended to Robin Hood fans looking for an illustrated telling, and to fans of the artist's distinctive style. ( )