Lionclaw

Because he prefers his harp to his father's warrior tradition, Lionel is banished from Lord Roderick's domain. Befriended by Rowan Hood, daughter of Robin, Lionel enters a Sherwood Forest world of Nancy Springer's creation. Here, amidst Rowan's band, Lionel finds friendship, the strength to face his father, and the power of his music. Emily Gray narrates unobtrusively. She sets each scene with a calm, matter-of-fact tone and then lets the action and revelation of Lionel's evolving personality take center stage . Her voice can be gentle when Lionel is feeling vulnerable, mousy at his cowardly moments, and assertive as his self-esteem increases. Gray presents supporting characters with just enough vocal variation. Listeners will follow her readily into this exciting quest. A.R. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

April 1, 2003
Gr 6-8-Lionel, the oversized, estranged son of Lord Lionclaw, has become a member of Rowan Hood's band and a talented minstrel, but he still hopes to be accepted by his father in this novel by Nancy Springer (Philomel, 2002). When Lionclaw puts a large price on his head, Lionel, fearing his friends will be caught by his pursuers, tries to leave the band but returns to save Rowan's life when she is badly injured. Gradually he realizes why he has been acting like a "sissy" and comes to terms with his father's hatred. This sequel to Springer's Rowan Hood (Philomel, 2001) is action filled, but the characters seem overdrawn and their motivations muddied. Lionel is repeatedly waking up to find himself in a new situation, a technique that becomes repetitive. We are repeatedly hearing of animal cries in the forest as well. While fans of Rowan Hood may want to continue the saga, the story doesn't stand on its own. Those who are not already familiar with Rowan's band will find it hard to become involved with them. British actress Emily Gray's reading is for the most part excellent with very good tone, expression, and pacing. At times, however, the high pitched whining voice of Lionel is easily confused with that of Ettarde, a noble young woman who is another of Rowan's followers. While no one can expect a narrator to have a fabulous singing voice, Gray's voice is merely pleasant and its lack of great beauty weakens listeners' suspension of disbelief since the text makes so much of Lionel's beautiful voice. This is very good recording of a satisfactory book that large audio collections and those where Rowan Hood is very popular may want, but one which most collections can pass.-Louise L. Sherman, formerly at Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.