Igraine the Brave

by Cornelia Funke Narrated by Xanthe Elbrick

Overview

Igraine, who turns twelve tomorrow, dreams of becoming a famous knight. But today, like most days, life at the family castle remains . . . rather boring.

Until the nefarious nephew of the baroness-next-door shows up. Greedy Osmund's got a dastardly plan to capture Pimpernel Castle and steal the singing magic books that belong to Igraine's mom and dad. Complicating matters, on the eve of the siege her parents misspeak a spell and turn themselves into pigs! (How inconvenient.)

Igraine's birthday wish has come true, and the challenge is bigger than she ever bargained for: Will she face her fears and find the courage to save the day-and the books?

Editorial Reviews

Princess Igraine is in the doldrums. Life at the family castle is boring and her fantasies about becoming a great female knight seem like nothing more than pipe dreams. All that changes, however, with the arrival of a power-hungry intruder who is intent on stealing a set of wondrous singing spell books owned by Igraine's parents. And it couldn't have happened at a worse time: Thanks to a major magical mishap, mom and pop have turned themselves into pigs! Fortunately, a Gentle Giant and a Sorrowful Knight are waiting in the wings to help the fledgling princess to save the day and the bacon-in-waiting. High-spirited hijinks.

Kirkus Reviews

The author of Princess Knight (2004) offers a longer tale along the same lines, here in its first English translation. Uninterested in becoming a magician like her parents and older brother, Igraine delights in feats of arms. Though a spellcasting error-that transforms her parents into non-magical pigs-casts a shadow on her 12th birthday, she is dazzled by the suit of magic armor they present her. It arrives just in time, too, because shortly thereafter, thuggish Osmund the Greedy arrives at the castle gates with an army, intent on seizing the resident library of talking grimoires. Will the castle's magical defenses hold out long enough for Igraine to steal a fast horse from under Osmund's nose, find a giant willing to give up the hair necessary for a parent-restoring spell, rescue an unaggressive dragon from hunters and help a sad knight who teaches her the rules of chivalry to defeat Osmund's supposedly undefeatable Castellan? Do you doubt? Illustrated with pen-and-ink sketches of Igraine in action, plus many tiny tomes sporting stubby limbs and animated faces, this engaging read, or read-aloud, is "joust" the ticket for all young fans of non-gender-specific knightly valor. (Fantasy. 9-11)

From the Publisher

An "inventive re-imagining of the knight-in-shining-armor story." — Publishers Weekly, starred review

FEB/MAR 08 - AudioFile

Twelve-year-old Igraine longs to become a knight, but her family of magicians can’t understand her dream. When life at the family castle is threatened by the dastardly Greedy Osmund, Igraine’s skills in horsemanship and swordplay are pressed into action. Narrator Xanthe Elbrick has just the right touch for Igraine, whose courage and determination overshadow her youth and inexperience. Elbrick employs a superb range of accents for Igraine’s various sidekicks. She portrays Igraine’s older brother with a delightful combination of teenage scorn and begrudging pride. Igraine’s parents, who have accidentally turned themselves into pigs, are simultaneously supportive and “piggy.” Elbrick’s effortless-sounding enunciation keeps the action lively but lighthearted. N.M.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169091458
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	09/25/2007
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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