Robin Hood: His Life and Legend

by Bernard Miles

Chronicles the life and adventures of Robin Hood who, with his band of followers, lived as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest dedicated to fight against tyranny.

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Historical, Mythology

125 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Patrick McKern · Rating 5 out of 5]

My #1 favorite book from the elementary school library, a fascinatingly realistic look at the stories with that rough style of ink and watercolor illustration that I held in mind til I just now, in my mid 40s, used that memory to rediscover the book on the internet. As a lifelong Robin Hood fan with a young son discovering the joys of archery, it feels like a good time to get to know the stories again, and I'd love to show him this favorite sometime.

[Helen Kingsford · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child, I simply loved this book. As an adult, I realise why: Bernard Miles actually believed in Robin Hood. He was not repeating 'tales for the children' or using the legends as a vehicle for suggestive adult fantasies-- he was telling the life history of a real person, in a real place.
Hence, I still love it. And the Victor Ambrus illustrations move it from a Very Good Book into the limited realms of Sheer Perfection.

[Karla Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this book out from our local library to read to my 3 year old and it has easily become a family favorite. Both my husband and were invested in the book and my son enjoyed it just as much. True to the tradition that Robin Hood was not only Catholic but a devout Catholic this was an especially delightful read for our family. We were thrilled to read about his love for our Blessed Mother and how he longed to go to mass. Friar Tuck praying in Latin throughout was such a treat! I will say the second half of the book contains much more detailed battles than the first half did. Heads are chopped and rolling for sure. We’ve been enjoying Grimm Brothers fairytales for some time now so it wasn’t an issue for my son but I think it could easily be a little too graphic for some young readers. In chapter 7 (page 58) there is also a short bit about the Sherrif’s wife desiring Little John in an inappropriate way that I thought should have been left out all together so I did not read that aloud to my son but aside from that this book is extremely well written and enjoyable.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite re-tellings of Robin Hood. Wonderful research and storytelling. I loved the mention of the real places.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the reason I read/watch Robin Hood stories.

Bernard Miles wrote what is my very favorite version of Robin Hood - it combines realism and legend in equal blend to make oh such a good read.

I found a used copy in remarkably good condition recently and was happy to add it to my bookshelf and be able to re-read it after years of only remembering it foundly.

The book has a younger reader in mind than I remembered - a lot of things are spelled out for the reader, such as the history of the 12th century, how basic every day stuff worked, the religious issues of the day, etc, and while it definitively reads as almost supplementary history textbook for middle-schoolers, it still tells a good story, and refuses to sugar coat it for the kiddies, showing in rather stark terms that this was no fairy tale.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather more depressing than the usual Hollywood mumbo-jumbo.

[David Chmelik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-illustrated (by Victor Ambrus) children's version of Robin Hood. If you are more interested in the stories than illustrations, read Child's ballads.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is the only book I ever have ever read that is sad in the end.

[Em Wylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished reading to the kids.

[R. G. Nairam]

According to an old list I kept, I have read this one. It seems vaguely familiar when I saw it at a library several months ago. I guess I'll have to read it again sometime!