The classic tale of the outlaw Robin Hood, and his first meeting with his eventual best friend and second-in-command, Little John, is retold for younger readers in this engaging picture-book. The well-known incident in which the two men come to blows over who has the right-of-way on a narrow log-bridge, fighting with wooden staffs on the log itself, is joined here to the tale of a subsequent archery contest between the two, neatly setting up a dynamic in which Robin is not infallible, and discovers that he may need help, while Little John learns that he too can be bested, and needs a community and a leader.

The Robin Hood story has always been one of my absolute favorites, when it comes to the world of folklore, so I tend to be rather indulgent when it comes to rating adaptations of it. I'm not universally satisfied, of course (don't even get me going on that travesty of a BBC production that is currently running), but it takes something pretty egregious to rouse my ire. Barbara Cohen's Robin Hood and Little John is not a book that requires indulgence, however, presenting a very solid presentation of the story for its intended audience. David Ray's accompanying illustrations have a kind of folksy, stylized feeling to them that is very attractive. All in all, this is a Robin Hood I would recommend for younger children! ( )