Rowan Hood - by Nancy Springer

Your mother has just died, and you're a 13-year-old girl on the run from the king's men through the forest, with only your bow and arrow for protection.  One night, while minding your own business at your campfire, roasting some rabbit, a huge wolf creature appears across from you, and snatches your quickly-shot arrow in its gigantic jaws!  What's next?  Will you find your outlaw father, Robin Hood?  Will he let you hang out with him and steal from the rich and give to the poor, and all that noble stuff?  Or will the evil knight dude with black horse-head armor get even with you like he promised to when you stole his sword?

This excellent book adds to the legend of Robin Hood by adding young Rosemary (Rowan) to the list of the outlaws of Sherwood forest.  It is full of wild adventure, but also has some very charming moments.  Settle in with this book and you'll find yourself cheering for Rowan, and wishing you had a little of her magic yourself.  Read this if you love medieval warfare and characters, old-fashioned stories that are not out-of-date at all, strong girl characters, magic, archery, wolf dogs, outlaws who laugh in the face of danger, or very good series.

(Note: The covers leave something to be desired, but the writing is spectacular.)