.jeri.

Thank goodness for books on tape. Without browsing the small selection at my local library, I never even would have known that this book exists. I always thought there were legends or short stories, but didn't even know that Howard Pyle actually put together an entire book. The great thing about experiencing this book in audio format is that the book is filled with songs sung by all of the characters. I would seriously love to learn those songs for myself. Perhaps I'll take that on some day.

This is basically a collection of the best stories about Robin Hood and his men. It explains how Robin Hood became an outlaw, how he met fun people like Little John and Friar Tuck, and tells the best adventures that all of them undergo. Particularly rewarding are the stories where someone outwits the Sheriff of Nottingham.

I can't tell you how much I loved this book. It will definitely be required reading for my kids. Speaking of which, I need to start the hunt for a pretty hardcover version of the book.

I loved the songs, I loved the adventures, and I loved the language. It gives such a wonderful picture of manliness, loyalty, integrity, and fun that I looked forward to listening to it every day.

Oh yeah. Any movie or tv show that shows Robin Hood as a serious man (aka Kevin Costner version) is missing the point of Robin Hood. The book is called "merry" right in the title, and that's a very accurate description. The tone is always light, save for when someone dies. Speaking of which, if you read this and don't want to be sad, then listen to the author when he warns you not to read the epilogue. Also interesting to me was the fact that Maid Marion gets mentioned but actually never appears in the book.

This is my favorite book I've read this year.