Another review

Hawksmaid: The Untold Story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian
by Kathryn Lasky
Young Adult Historical Fiction
Pub date May 2010

I am a complete sucker for Robin Hood retellings. Ever since I read The Outlaws of Sherwood, by Robin McKinley, I can't get enough of them. This one was so good, different from all the rest but with enough of the familiar elements that I was satisfied. Matty is the daughter of an English noble, and when she is a child her home is invaded by the vile Guy of Gisborne. In the aftermath of the invasion, Matty finds herself bearing more responsibility than a child should, and she learns to hunt with her father's hawks. Soon her band of friends are not satisfied with innocent games in the woods--their home is changing under the influence of Prince John and his cronies. They decide to do something about it, and Matty becomes Maid Marian, a spy within the household of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Naturally, I loved the story itself, but what I really loved was the way that Kathryn Lasky wove so much falconry into the tale. It's a subject that I knew almost nothing about, and I didn't feel like the book was trying to cram facts into my head. I'm curious to see what kids think of this one.