Peg Glisson (Children's Literature)
Igraine is a young girl living in rundown Pimpernel Castle with her gifted magician parents and her brother, who is gaining in his magical abilities. She, alas, is not interested in magic; she wants to be a knight like her great-grandfather. When her parents’ magic goes awry and turns them into pigs while the castle is under threat of an attack led by Osmund the Greedy, Igraine is reluctantly sent on a quest to retrieve a needed ingredient (a giant’s red hairs) so her parents can return to human form. She returns home under the protection of the dishonored Sorrowful Knight of the Mound of Tears to find her brother using magic to repel Osmund’s attacks. She and the Knight place themselves in great danger as they assist in trying to save her parents and Pimpernel from the evil Osmund, who wants their singing magic books for his own dark purposes. Funke has written an exciting and humorous tale filled with memorable, well-developed characters and intriguing magical creatures, including a talking cat, a three-headed dragon, and fish and snakes that live in the castle’s moat and assist in its protection. Igraine is not without faults, including rashness and self-importance. This helps make her exploits more believable, as well as adding to the humor and tension. The story is well paced with just enough danger and adventure to keep it interesting without being frightening. Funke’s line drawings add clarity and fancy to her tale. This would be an excellent read-aloud during a unit on knights and castles or when just a good read is needed. 2007, Chicken House/Scholastic, $16.99. Ages 8 to 12.

Tiffany Wetzel (Children's Literature)
With a brilliant twist on a Knight’s Tale, Funke introduces Igraine, a young girl aspiring to be a knight. At Igraine’s twelfth birthday celebration, her parents, who are skilled magicians, turn themselves into pigs by accidentally saying “swine” instead of “shine” at the same time that evil Osmund threatens to attack their castle and steal the family’s powerful Singing Books of Magic. If Osmund succeeds, the whole land will be dominated by black magic. Funke includes extensive foreshadowing as Igraine leaves her older brother, Albert, a magician-in-training, in charge of holding off the battle, while she borrows a horse and rides off on an adventure to find the giant hairs that can turn her parents back into humans. The young girl’s bravery and persistence help her family resist the attack and save their smug, yet amusing, Singing Books of Magic, each of which has a unique personality. Throughout the story, Igraine’s bravery and Albert’s funny magic spells immerse the reader in Igraine’s remarkable world of adventure. Aside from her descriptive writing style, Funke adds amusement to the intense story by placing black-and-white illustrations of the Singing Books of Magic on various pages to add a comical element to even the most serious chapters. The book also subtly challenges the traditional gender roles while keeping readers engaged. The story is action packed and Funke’s Igraine is a combination of wit and bravery which creates a dynamic, young girl who goes against precedent to protect her family. 2007, The Chicken House/Scholastic, $16.99. Ages 9 to 12.

Larysa Bordner (Childrens Book and Play Review, November/December 2008 (Vol. 29, No. 2))
Igraine comes from a magical family, but she wants to change things the "old fashioned way" as a knight. Her family thinks it is unusual that she would not want to follow in their footsteps as a magician, especially because she is a girl. However, her family loves and supports her, which becomes essential when an evil, although not incredibly skilled, magician from another kingdom comes to take away their magic singing books. The evil magician could not have shown up at a worse time, since Igraine's parents have accidentally turned themselves into pigs and cannot help protect the castle. Igraine and her brother must learn to use their talents in a predicament to save their parents, the castle, and the singing books. Through it all, Igraine earns her name as a knight-- Igraine the Brave. Igraine the Brave is an entertaining story for pre-teens and young teenagers. The novel's theme focuses on believing in one's self and leaning on friends and family in times of need. Funke does an exceptional job in keeping the reader interested in what will happen with Igraine next, and through Igraine, she shows how challenges can be handled in a confident, capable manner. Rating: Outstanding. Reading Level: Intermediate; Young adult. Category: Fantasy fiction. 2007, Chicken House, 212 p., $16.99. © 2002, Brigham Young University.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2007 (Vol. 75, No. 17))
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. 2007, Chicken House/Scholastic, 224p, $16.99. Category: Fantasy. Ages 9 to 11. © 2007 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Janis Flint-Ferguson (KLIATT Review, November 2007 (Vol. 41, No. 6))
Young Igraine is the daughter of medieval magicians, but she wants nothing to do with magic. Her parents are the keepers of three books that not only hold magic: they also regularly squawk and complain. Her brother Albert is trying to follow in the family footsteps even though his attempts to conjure up food always result in blue eggs and biscuits--hard, dry biscuits. Igraine, however, has dreams of becoming a knight. As she approaches her 13th birthday, her parents and brother are busily working on her birthday present when a slip of the tongue results in her parents being turned into pigs--nice pigs. This occurs as something very strange is going on at a neighboring castle. The evil nephew of the friendly Baroness of Darkrock has come to steal the magic books. It soon becomes apparent that they are going to need help to ward off evil Osmund the Greedy, a.k.a. Osmund the Magnificent, but first they need the red hairs of a giant to return their parents to human form. This is a delightful, lighthearted romp as Igraine and Albert step up to save the day, but only after quests and tests and the kind of dark, suspenseful occurrences that younger YAs will enjoy. Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: J--Recommended for junior high school students. 2007, Scholastic, Chicken House, 224p., $16.99. Ages 12 to 15.

Spencer Korson (Library Media Connection, January 2008)
This illustrated novel is a fun, fast-paced adventure that is sure to win over young readers. Although 12-year-old Igraine's parents and brother are all magicians, she longs for the life of chivalry. Inspired by her great-grandfather, Igraine learned swordplay and the rules of knighthood. The adventures begin when Igraine's parents accidentally turn themselves into pigs just as Osmund the Greedy enslaves the Baroness and takes control of Darkrock Castle. When he demands that Igaine's parents give him their magical singing books, Igraine is forced to seek help from the giant, Garleff. Garleff encourages the nearby Sorrowful Knight of the Mount of Tears to help Igraine, hoping that he can regain his lost honor. Osmund seems victorious when he captures The Sorrowful Knight and Igraine. All is righted as Igraine's parents are restored to their former selves. They free the Baroness, as well as the ladies that the Sorrowful Knight was to protect, promising him lessons in magic as he promises Igraine lessons in knighthood. This is a fun adventure one would expect of Funke. Although parts were a bit predictable and characters often stereotyped, this novel will appeal to many. Recommended. 2007, The Chicken House (Scholastic), 224pp., $16.99 hc. Ages 9 to 12.

April Spisak (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, February 2008 (Vol. 61, No. 6))
This German import features the twelve-year-old daughter of two magicians, who wants nothing more than to be a dashing knight. Igraine soon has a chance to prove her mettle when a treacherous neighbor attempts to abscond with the family’s singing magic books just as her parents have accidentally turned themselves into swine. Leaving her magically adept older brother in charge for a few days, Igraine sets out to retrieve the giant’s hairs necessary to reverse the pig spell, and on the way she meets with a depressed but still gallant knight who agrees to show her the ropes. Of course, all ends well with parental figures restored to their human form, Igraine emerging as a fine knight-in-training, and the magic books remaining safely out of the hands of oafish villains, but there is enough genuine tension built in along the way to keep readers on edge. While the illustrated listing of characters is largely unnecessary given the relatively trim cast, it does provide additional context for the characters and their motivations, as do the interspersed black-and-white illustrations that primarily reflect key dramatic plot moments (although the moody and self-important singing books, dotted throughout the pages, offer a nice balance of comic relief). Middle-grade fans of Funke’s Dragon Rider (BCCB 10/04) will be thrilled to see this new fantasy offering, as will readers seeking tough young heroines who can save the day and not give a second thought to dirt, moat water, and danger along the way Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2008, Chicken House/Scholastic, 212p., $16.99. Grades 4-6.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2008)
When her magician parents accidentally turn themselves into pigs just as a greedy usurper launches a siege, twelve-year-old aspiring knight Igraine must seek aid while her brother defends their castle. The brisk plot is seasoned with the wacky characters, idiosyncratic details, and nonstop shenanigans typical of Funke's other (relatively) shorter works. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2007, Scholastic/Chicken House, 212pp, 16.99. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.

Anita Beaman (VOYA, December 2007 (Vol. 30, No. 5))
Fantasy fans looking for a spunky, adventurous new heroine will find one in this new novel from Funke. Igraine, a twelve-year-old who wants nothing more than to become a knight, is surrounded by those who care little for adventure or swordplay. Her parents, The Fair Melisande and Sir Lamorak the Wily, are the keepers of the Singing Books of Magic and two of the most powerful magicians in the land. Her brother, Albert, is studying to follow in their footsteps. Igraine, however, has little interest in magic and no talent for remembering spells. Unfortunately she also has little opportunity to practice her knightly skills. Pimpernel Castle is well defended by her family's magic, although no one has attacked in many years. But when a greedy new neighbor makes plans to seize the Singing Books and a magical mistake leaves the castle's defenses weakened and Igraine's family in danger, she must use every bit of her skill and courage and even some magic to save her home. Fun characters and illustrations by the author create a light fantasy adventure in the spirit of T. H. White's The Sword in the Stone (Collins, 1938). Albert is a talented older brother who frequently likes to tease his tomboy sister, and Igraine's parents seem silly and absent minded, but when faced with a real threat, the brave Igraine and her family work together and show their true strength. Funke's book will be a hit with all young fantasy fans. VOYA CODES: 5Q 5P M J (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2007, The Chicken House/Scholastic, 224p., $16.99. Ages 11 to 15.