Henry Sowter - Ronnie Hood - REVIEW
Father of two, Henry Sowter became inspired to write his own series of children's novels after reading Julia Donaldson’s Stick Man during the Christmas of 2016. Eight years on, he has created no less than 10 picture books which he plans to release over time. The first of these is a brand new spin on a classic folklore tale that everybody is familiar with. Robin Hood is a character of iconic proportions, but people may not be aware that he has a younger brother and one who takes centre stage in this wonderful and exciting tale for children of all ages.
Ronnie Hood is a good-natured boy who is a little different to his older brother Robin. Rather than enjoy the sporting and athletic antics of his big bro, Ronnie would prefer to read, study science, conduct fascinating experiments and write down the results. This puts him at odds with many of his classmates, some of whom refuse to believe that Ronnie’s brother is in fact the great Robin Hood. For these reasons, Ronnie has trouble fitting in and often feels sad that he is different to everybody else. However, as this book proves, all talents come in useful for something, and perhaps Ronnie is more important to his brother and the people around him than he first realises.
So begins a feel-good children’s story and a fun twist on the renowned Robin Hood mythology. Henry Sowter uses poetry and rhythm to weave a narrative themed around love, friendship and brotherhood that is designed to inspire and allow young readers to feel important no matter what their interests are. The alternate spin on the classic tale of Robin Hood is an ideal way to explore the life of the less-sung heroes of society and create an engaging and altogether relatable tale with a huge amount of humanity. As Henry makes this book a dedication to his own two sons, it is clear that this idea comes from a place of experience and understanding.
Effective also is the manner with which the story is told, in the form of easy-to-read and highly memorable lines of poetry. This makes the themes of Ronnie Hood much more enjoyable and palatable for young audiences and creates a tempo that grabs the reader’s attention from start to finish. Once this book is picked up, it is unlikely that it will be put down until the very last page, and much of that is down to the eclectic and entertaining style with which Henry Sowter writes.
Assisting Henry in his quest to bring Ronnie Hood to life, is the superbly talented illustrator, Sarah-Leigh Wills, whose portfolio in the world of children’s illustration and graphic design is nothing short of monumental. In 2007, she founded the Happy Designer brand and has provided work for a number of high-profile clients including the BBC, Harper Collins, SKY, and Eden Project. It is fitting then that her business would represent the talents of Henry Sowter, and realise his vision in a colourful and wholly engaging fashion. Pair this high proficiency up with the writer’s boundless imagination and you have a winning combo.
The illustrations of this book are indeed an extremely fun and bright platform for the story of Ronnie Hood, combining a playful creative style that’s perfect for kids, whilst containing a glorious amount of detail. Particularly clever is how the images blend a very modern feel with the middle-aged historical setting in which Robin Hood is set. This means that our main character can write with an old-fashioned inkwell and feather beside an hourglass, in an everyday kids' bedroom, as well as wear middle age clothing inside a very modern looking school. It’s this attention to detail and amusing blend of old and new provided by the superbly talented people at Happy Designer that makes this book a truly distinct reading experience.
As this kids’ book is the combination of creative greatness from both writer and illustrator, it’s the emotive subject that really gives it wings. Whilst Ronnie may emerge to be the hero of the day, it is perhaps also true that the unconquerable spirit of Robin may also have a vulnerable side. As this fun and good-natured story progresses, it becomes apparent that a deeper message of humanity and weakness underlies this story, and that all human beings are at times faced with adversity no matter who they are. From this, the equally important themes of teamwork, perseverance and trust shine through and provide a true feel-good ending to this tale.
Ronnie Hood is an adventurous and heartfelt children’s story, penned by an author who knows just how to provide kids with the right food for thought. With its combination of dazzling illustrations and engaging storytelling, this book validates that Henry Sowter might just be an emerging voice in the world of kids’ books. As his writing is so honest and earnest in the case of Ronnie Hood, it will be exciting to read what he brings out next, and under the trustworthy imagery of Happy Designer and Sarah-Leigh Wills, it is sure to be another stunner of a children's book.
To order your copy of Ronnie Hood, and to learn more about its author, visit the Majeeko Books website here.
