A young novice nun wrongfully accused of Robin Hoods murder must clear her name.Elinor Dray has been living at Kirklees Abbey since her mother was hanged for poaching on the barons lands four years prior. Nevertheless, need outweighs danger, and Ellie often slips out to hunt in Sherwood Forest with her friends, the League of Archers. One evening she helps a lone archer injured by a poisoned arrow only to discover he's Robin Hoodand the mother abbess is Maid Marian. Third-person narration communicates Elinors confusion, elation, and disappointment in meeting her hero only to have him dieand wonder if he was a hero after all. Readers may need to suspend disbelief when the baron accuses Elliewho, though a skilled archer, is just 12of Hoods murder. Ellie eventually escapes the barons clutches and reunites with the League, but in order to stay safe and save Maid Marian, she must find the Merry Men while grappling with such questions as whether the sacrifice of life for the greater good is ethical. This book doesnt shy away from deep moral dilemmas often unexplored in middle-grade novels andnbsp;important to acknowledge in a story with life-or-death stakes. Unsurprisingly, the principal characters are white. Perhaps a tad longer than necessary, this generally well-paced post-legend take on the Robin Hood myth will captivate action and adventure fans and lovers of historical fiction alike. (Historical fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

This new spin on the Robin Hood story introduces Elinor Dray, a preteen novice. Not simply a nun, she is also a member of the League of Archers, a team of childhood friends who poach from the local baron's land. They idolize Robin Hood but never think of filling his outlaw shoes, until Elinor is accused of his murder. His death reveals the abbess of the nunnery as Maid Marian, and now Ellie is on the run, and Marian set to hang unless the League of Archers can find a way to contact the disbanded Merry Men and mount a rescue. In this version, Robin Hood is a deeply flawed man whose heroics often come at a high price for friend and foe alike. Ellie and her League are a likable troupe who rise above the stereotype of plucky urchins and learn to make tough choices about loyalty and honor. This is a highly enjoyable adventure story that should appeal to a wide range of readers.--Dean, Kara Copyright 2016 Booklist

Gr 5-7-Sent to live in a nunnery after her mother's death, 12-year-old Ellie spends her days as a novice nun and her evenings hunting in the woods with her friends-known among themselves as the League of Archers. Like their heroes, Robin Hood and his Merry Men, they hunt in secret on the villainous Baron's land in order to feed those in need. One night, Ellie encounters a mysterious man in the woods who is shot by a poisonous arrow. She brings him back to the nunnery only to discover that he is Robin Hood and the kind abbess of the nunnery is Maid Marion. What follows are a chain of events in which Ellie is publicly blamed for the death of Robin Hood. Friendships are tested as Ellie and her loyal League of Archers work in secret to uncover the mystery of Robin Hood's death and convince the village of her innocence. Readers will thrill at the nonstop action and adventure of this engaging tale. The familiar settings of Sherwood Forest and Nottingham add an extra level of interest for fans of the original story and Disney movie. Howard has created a thoughtful and likable character in Ellie, who is forced to reconsider her rosy image of Robin Hood as an unblemished hero. Despite the youth of her main characters, Howard doesn't shy away from the harsh reality of death, danger, and cruelty: Ellie's mother is hanged for hunting on the Baron's land, Robin Hood's dead and rotting body is dragged around for display, and Ellie herself struggles with guilt and confusion when she kills a man with an arrow during a fight. VERDICT A deep and satisfying series opener; recommended for upper-middle grade and middle school readers.-Kristy Pasquariello, Wellesley Free Library, MA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The baron falsely identifies young orphan Elinor as the archer responsible for killing Robin Hood. Supported by four fellow-archer friends, Ellie takes to the forest to find the remnants of the Merry Men, save Maid Marian from execution, and salvage her own reputation. Howard cleverly reboots the "Robin Hood" legend, inserting a hefty dose of girl power and a reinvigorated sense of morality. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.