Lionclaw: Tale of Rowan Hood Summary and Reviews

Lionclaw: Tale of Rowan Hood
by Nancy Springer

Lionclaw: Tale of Rowan Hood
Our Price: $25.25
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.99 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


or

Book Summary Information

Author: Nancy Springer
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-04-12
ISBN: 014240053X
Number of pages: 128
Publisher: Puffin

Book Reviews of Lionclaw: Tale of Rowan Hood

Book Review: "We Will Make an Outlaw Out of You Yet..."
Summary: 3 Stars

The Rowan Hood series consists of five books which pertain to the five members of a young outlaw gang. These are brave, spunky Rowan, the daughter of the legendary Robin Hood, Lionel, an overgrown cowardly minstrel, Rook the wild boy, and Ettarde, a runaway princess. Also with them is Tykell, a wolf-dog hybrid that can catch arrows out of the air. Each books centers on one of these characters, and "Lionclaw" is Lionel's story.

The son of a very disappointed father, Lionel is as tall as a giant and with "feet the size of pony heads." However, despite his size, he has a timid, courtly disposition and would much rather spent his time playing his harp. His gifts as a musician have been known to draw the aelfe from the forests, but such a talent hardly impresses his sadistic father Sir Rogerick Lionclaw.

Lionel's cowardice in combat stems from his fear that he'll injure his fingers (and therefore be unable to play his harp), but when his father comes to Sherwood with a bounty on his son's head, Lionel feels that he's putting his companions at risk. He flees, only to find that they are all in danger from the thuggish Guy of Gisborn, a bounty hunter who wears a horse-head visor and has a score to settle with the young outlaws.

This is a very slender book, and voracious readers could finish it in one sitting. As such characterization is still rather slim in regards to the other members of the gang, though I'm sure that following books Outlaw Princess of Sherwood and Wild Boy will give them some much-deserved attention. Lionel himself fluctuates between annoying and endearing, Robin and his outlaws are periphery characters, and there's still no sign of Marian.

The descriptions of Sherwood Forest are atmospheric and mysterious, with plenty of attention paid to the terrain, flora and fauna of the place, but I'm a little confused about the time period: Springer mentions a king, but deliberately withholds a name (perhaps to prevent the book from being dated). However, one of the ballads that Lionel sings is "Greensleeves", a song that did not exist until the reign of King Henry the Eighth. Likewise, everyone swears "by the Lady" though I'm not sure who that refers to: the Virgin Mary or a pagan goddess?

I guess the problem is that although it's a quick, entertaining read, there's no real meat to the story in regards to background, character and plot (for the second time in as many books, someone is captured by the bad guys). Younger readers will get the most out of the "Rowan Hood" series, especially those interested in the Robin Hood mythos.

Literature Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Literature Books
A Beautiful Feast for a Big King Cat ImageA Beautiful Feast for a Big King Cat
by John Archambault, Bill, Jr. Martin
HarperCollins Publishers; Published: 2000-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.95
Racso and the Rats of NIMH ImageRacso and the Rats of NIMH
by Jane Leslie Conly
HarperCollins Publishers; Published: 1986-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $48.99
Goodnight Moon ImageGoodnight Moon
by Margaret Wise Brown
HarperCollins; Published: 1947-09-03; Library Binding; Book
Best price: $84.72
A Fine, Fine School ImageA Fine, Fine School
by Sharon Creech
HarperCollins; Published: 2003-12-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.44
Price in other shops: $6.99
Listening for Lions ImageListening for Lions
by Gloria Whelan
HarperCollins; Published: 2006-10-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.58
Price in other shops: $5.99
Ruby Holler ImageRuby Holler
by Sharon Creech
HarperCollins; Published: 2003-12-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops: $6.99
The Winnie-the-Pooh ImageThe Winnie-the-Pooh
by A.A. Milne
HarperFestival; Published: 2003-09-23; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $3.79
Price in other shops: $18.00
Christmas in the Barn ImageChristmas in the Barn
by Margaret Wise Brown
HarperCollins; Published: 2007-10-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops: $6.99
The Whipping Boy ImageThe Whipping Boy
by Sid Fleischman
Harper Collins Publishers; Greenwillow Books; Published: 2003-04-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.97
Price in other shops: $5.99
FOX IN SOCKS - A Tongue Twister for Super Children ImageFOX IN SOCKS - A Tongue Twister for Super Children
by DR SEUSS
Collins & Harvill Press; Published: 1966; Hardcover; Book
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan: An Enola Holmes Mystery (Enola Holmes Mystery (Quality)) ImageThe Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan: An Enola Holmes Mystery (Enola Holmes Mystery (Quality))
by Nancy Springer
Puffin; Published: 2010-05-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.50
Price in other shops: $6.99
The Case of the Left-Handed Lady: An Enola Holmes Mystery (Enola Holmes Mystery (Quality)) ImageThe Case of the Left-Handed Lady: An Enola Holmes Mystery (Enola Holmes Mystery (Quality))
by Nancy Springer
Puffin; Published: 2008-05-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.69
Price in other shops: $6.99
The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery (Enola Holmes Mystery (Quality)) ImageThe Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery (Enola Holmes Mystery (Quality))
by Nancy Springer
Puffin; Published: 2007-11-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.45
Price in other shops: $6.99
Wild Boy: A Tale of Rowan Hood ImageWild Boy: A Tale of Rowan Hood
by Nancy Springer
Philomel; Published: 2004-05-24; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $3.69
Price in other shops: $16.99
Outlaw Princess of Sherwood (Rowan Hood) ImageOutlaw Princess of Sherwood (Rowan Hood)
by Nancy Springer
Philomel; Published: 2003-09-29; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $26.22
Rowan Hood Returns: The Final Chapter ImageRowan Hood Returns: The Final Chapter
by Nancy Springer
Puffin; Published: 2006-11-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.23
Price in other shops: $5.99
Rowan Hood Returns ImageRowan Hood Returns
by Nancy Springer
Philomel; Published: 2005-06-16; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.98
Price in other shops: $16.99
Outlaw Princess of Sherwood ImageOutlaw Princess of Sherwood
Scholastic Book Services; Published: 2003; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.00
Wild Boy: A Tale of Rowan Hood ImageWild Boy: A Tale of Rowan Hood
by Nancy Springer
Puffin; Published: 2005-11-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.50
Price in other shops: $5.99
Rowan Hood: Outlaw Girl of Sherwood Forest ImageRowan Hood: Outlaw Girl of Sherwood Forest
by Nancy Springer
Puffin; Published: 2002-09-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.49
Price in other shops: $5.99