YOUNG ROBIN HOOD
and other English & Scottish Fairy Tales of Francis James Child
Retold by Connlyn Sinclair
Illustrations by Bobby Lyn Powell
Venture into a world of ancient Scottish legends, where daring heroes, enchanted creatures, and timeless romance await. Rediscover the magic of folklore in Young Robin Hood.
Rediscover stories of romance, adventure, and ancient lore in Young Robin Hood: English & Scottish Fairy Tales of Francis James Child, retold by Connlyn Sinclair.
Step into the enchanting world of Scottish folklore, where ancient myths and legends come to life in tales passed down through generations. Come along on a captivating adventure inspired by the extraordinary work of Francis James Child, an American professor who wrote down the spellbinding stories of the Scottish borderlands.
In Connlyn Sinclair’s retelling of these timeless tales, you’ll encounter courageous heroes, cunning villains, and magical creatures lurking deep in misty forests and mystical glens. From the romance of “Hind Horn” to the thrilling adventures of “The Lochmaben Harper,” each story will fill you with excitement and wonder.
But beware, dear reader, for the language may be old-timey and peppered with Scots—a tongue akin to English but with its own unique charm. Fear not, the author will guide you through the maze, opening doors to the lore of the wild.
As you journey deeper into the heart of these ancient tales, you’ll find yourself immersed in a world where knights and maidens, heroes and villains, tread the misty paths of folklore.
So, gather ‘round and let the magic of Scottish folklore transport you to a realm where heroes rise, love conquers all, and adventure awaits at every turn. Are you ready to embark on this extraordinary journey? Open the pages and let the adventure begin!
Grade level: 3 – 6 | Age: 8 – 12
Originally hailing from mountainous Colorado Connlyn Sinclair was raised by a sci-fi fangirl grandmother who let him read her collection of fantastical and mystery fiction as a teenager. These stories have since been much of the inspiration for his own work writing fantastic tales for both children and adults. He is currently studying to become a science teacher at KU.
Mixed-media artist, Bobbie Lyn Powell attended KU and stayed in Lawrence KS for 17 years creating, showing, and selling mixed media art, children book illustrations, drawings, and paintings. A member of art co-op groups Dot Dot Dot and Quintessential 5, Bobbie has exhibed in Kansas City and Lawrence. She’s done multiple commission projects including a solo show at the Great Plains Nature Center, painted two large outdoor murals and worked on children’s book illustrations. Bobbie has painted murals in Ark City KS, Lawrence KS, Wichita KS, Anthony KS, and Kiowa KS. She is currently working on illustrating three books, one tattoo design, and one commission painting for a private residence.
Acclaim for “Young Robin Hood”:
Come along on a adventure inspired by the extraordinary work of Francis James Child, an American professor who wrote down the spellbinding stories of the Scottish borderlands. In Connlyn Sinclair’s retelling of these timeless tales, you will encounter courageous heroes, cunning villains, and magical creatures lurking deep in misty forests and mythical glens. But beware, for the language is old-timey and peppered with Scots-a tongue, akin to English but with its own unique charm.
Lavishly illustrated by artist, Bobby Lyn Powell, this children’s book is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, and community library Folktale/Fairytale collections for children ages 8-10.
—James Cox, Midwest Book Review
Francis James Child
Francis James Child was an American professor in the 1800s. After taking classes taught by The Brothers Grimm (Wilhelm and Jacob), he came to believe that the fairy tales told by storytellers who had never learned to read or write were more interesting than ones that were written down. He strangely enough set out to write them down. Many of the stories Child wrote down came from area around the border between England and Scotland where the ancient Celts and Saxons had lived and passed down their ancient myths. My own ancestors immigrated to the United States from Scotland, but when I was a kid I read mainly the myths of Ancient Greece. As an adult I began to read Child and I immediately fell in love with many of the stories. The romance in “Hind Horn” or the thrills in “The Lochmaben Harper” are easily as interesting as anything Greek or written by The Brothers Grimm themselves. And so I decided to retell these stories in a way that would allow kids today to enter the magical forests and glens of the Scottish borderland.
Francis James Child attempted to write these stories down exactly as the storyteller preformed them. They are filled with old-timey language as well as words in Scots, the language of lowland Scotland. Scots is very similar to English, so with some effort and experience in modern Scottish and northern English speech that I picked up watching British TV, I was able to understand most of it without speaking the language fluently. Even though I can read a fair amount of Scots, I’d need to speak English if I ever went to Scotland. However I hope you, dear reader, think about learning to speak Scots someday. A few stories like “Sir Orfeo” have older, longer versions, and in those cases I borrowed from the longer version such details as Orfeo’s true love’s name, but the core of every story came from Child’s original books.
