Igraine the Brave

Starred review from September 10, 2007
Igraine's parents are magicians who own the coveted Singing Books of Magic. Brother Albert has joined the family business, but Igraine finds magic incredibly boring—she pines for the excitement of knighthood. Then, on her 12th birthday, the vast castle next door is taken over by Osmund the Greedy, who wants the books for himself. At the same moment, Igraine's parents inadvertently turn themselves into swine, and their daughter happily volunteers for a quest to retrieve the red-headed giant's hairs they need to become human again. Funke's inventive re-imagining of the knight-in-shining-armor story benefits from its playful details—rainbow-colored smoke wafting out of the spell room, gargoyles who breathe fire from the turrets, stone lions that roar at strangers. Equally enjoyable are the family dynamics: though brother and sister begin as typical antagonists, they work together when their home is imperiled. Igraine's parents don't understand her aversion to magic, but respect her desire to forge her own path. Along the Funke continuum, which travels from silly picture books to the dark, ambitious fantasy of Inkheart
, this falls closest to Dragon Rider
, aimed squarely at elementary school readers. The author, whose career began in illustration, provides her own line drawings, witty images of the singing books (they have faces, hands and feet), and atmospheric spreads with inset text. While children will want to see the pictures up close, an abundance of action and humor make this satisfying story work as a read-aloud too. Ages 8-12.

November 1, 2007
Gr 3-6-Igraine, the heroine of this medieval tale, wants something different from life. Her parents and her brother are magicians, and she considers their work "dreadfully boring." Instead, she longs to be a brave knight who has adventures and wins tournaments. When Osmund the Greedy and his army arrive at the gates of her ancestral castle, she gets a chance to prove herself. Her parents have given her a suit of magical armor for her 12th birthday but then a few complications arise that interfere with her grand plans. These challenges start when her parents make a magical error that turns them into unmagical pigs. Now Igraine must find a giant willing to give up his hair to save them. Along the way she must also help a sorrowful knight and rescue a gentle giant from hunters. Although her courage is challenged, Igraine is a resourceful heroine whose feisty demeanor will have readers rooting for her success. Funke's whimsical pen-and-ink illustrations are a good match for this spirited tale. The story has many twists and turns and an engaging heroine who rises to the challenge. Readers will eagerly join her on her quest, and younger children will enjoy an exciting read-aloud as this valiant knight saves the day."Carole Phillips, Greenacres Elementary School, Scarsdale, NY"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2007
First published in Germany in 1998, this fantasy opens on the day before Igraines twelfth birthday. Igraine lives in a very old castle, guarded by stone lions that roar at approaching strangers. Her older brother is a magician-in-training; Igraine plans to become a knight. When their castle is besieged by Osmund the Greedy and his evil henchman, Rowan Heartless, Igraine, her family, and their newfound champion, the Sorrowful Knight, work together to defeat their treacherous opponents. Children will find this a more down-to-earth, appealing fantasy, with an element of humor (Igraines parents accidentally turn themselves into pigs) as well as a heroine whose knightly ambitions and ideals are taken seriously by her family. Among Funkes most imaginative and lovable creations are the walking, talking, snacking Books of Magic that the villains are plotting to steal. Funkes lively ink drawings introduce the characters, decorate the beginnings and ends of chapters, and occasionally provide large illustrations of the setting and action. A good read-aloud choice.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)