J. Walker McSpadden (1874–1960)

I’ve always been a fan of the Robin Hood legends, and I’ve read plenty of the modern adaptations of the stories, but somehow I’ve missed reading anything even close to the traditional myths until now. The legends originated as part of the oral storytelling traditions in England, so obviously there are no “definitive editions” that collect all the legends, but this book seems to tread relatively close to what could be considered authentic. McSpadden draws heavily on Howard Pyle’s compendium for a unified set of characters, but I was pleased to see that the stories didn’t seem too watered down. Obviously there is little graphic violence, but Robin Hood does kill Guy of Gisbourne and is depicted as a man who picks fights with anyone who falls into his path. At some points I wondered if he was near-sighted, since he even managed to pick a fight with his lady love, Maid Marion… What I really enjoyed about this book, though, are Greg Hildebrandt’s wonderful illustrations. Some of the models I recognize from the Brothers’ Lord of the Rings pieces, but Greg’s costuming, settings, and characters pair well with the legends and serve to enhance the collection of stories.… (meer)

Author: J. Walker McSpadden
Title: Robin Hood
Illustrator: None
Publisher: Dover Publications
Year: 2000
Pages: 208
Types: Myth
Summary: Robin Hood was a town a hero among the poor people. Robin Hood would steal from the rich to give to the poor. He was also known because he was great at shooting bows and arrows. Robin Hood was a great helper for the community even though the rich disliked him.

I liked this myth, I always have. I think Robin Hood is a good example to help your friends out. However since he does steal from the rich to the poor it might give the kids the wrong idea that stealing is okay if you do it for the right reason.… (meer)