1 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Hero or zero?
Literacy Plus Resource R2.1
Friends and
enemies
Lifestyle
Robin Hood
Actions
Looks
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Beliefs and politics
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2 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Hero or zero?
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Literacy Plus Resource R2.2
© Crown copyright 2009
3 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Extract from Robin Hood and the Silver Arrow by Tony Bradman © Reproduced by Permission of Orchard Books, a
division of Hachette Children’s Books.
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© Crown copyright 2009
4 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Hero or zero?
Literacy Plus Resource R2.3
Extract from “Spilling the Beans on Robin Hood and other robbers of the copse” by Redvers Brandling. (2008) © Miles Kelly Publishing, 2008. Used with kind permission.
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5 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Hero or zero?
Resource R2.4
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Literacy Plus
© Crown copyright 2009
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Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
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7 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
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8 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
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9 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
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10 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
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11 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Extract from “Spilling the Beans on Robin Hood and other robbers of the copse” by Redvers Brandling. (2008)
© Miles Kelly Publishing, 2008. Used with kind permission.
00076-2009EPD-EN-01
© Crown copyright 2009
12 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Hero or zero?
"Lythe and listin, gentilmen,
That be of frebore blode;
I shall you tel of a gode yeman,
His name was Robyn Hode."
-A Gest of Robyn Hode
(An early printed Robin Hood ballad)
Literacy Plus Resource R2.5
Robert Earle of Huntington
Lies under this little stone.
No archer was like him so good:
His wildnesse named him Robbin Hood.
Full thirteene yeares, and something more,
These northerne parts he vexed sore.
Such out-lawes as he and his men
May England never know agen."
-Martin Parker's translation
of Robin's epitaph
A woodcut of Robin Hood from 1508.
Source: Howard Pyle’s The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, 1883
About this time it was, as I conceive, that there flourished those most famous robbers Robert Hood,
an Englishman, and Little John, who lay in wait in the woods, but spoiled of their goods those only
that were wealthy. They took the life of no man, unless he either attacked them or offered resistance
in defence of his property. Robert supported by his plundering one hundred bowmen, ready fighters
every one, with whom four hundred of the strongest would not dare to engage in combat. The feats
of this Robert are told in song all over Britain. He would allow no woman to suffer injustice, nor
would he spoil the poor, but rather enriched them from the plunder taken from the abbots. The
robberies of this man I condemn, but of all robbers he was the humanest and the chief. (Translated
from John Major's Historia Majoris Britanniae (1521) 1892, pp.156–67)
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© Crown copyright 2009
13 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Hero or zero?
Literacy Plus Resource R2.6
Early Start
The alarm buzzer started up. Sam groped for the snooze button. In five minutes he would have to
get up to go to school. He shivered. His room was still dark and he could hear no sounds
anywhere in the house or outside. ‘Strange,’ he thought, ‘Mum and Dad are usually up by now.’
Sam got out of bed more quickly than he normally would on a school day. He put on a pair of socks
and his coat which he found on the floor by his bed and went out into the hall. Silence. The
thought crossed his mind that a terrible plague had visited his family in the night and that he alone
had been spared.
He opened the door of the parental bedroom. Well, there they both there all right under the duvet
and, as he approached, he could tell they were both breathing. Huh, the way they always went on
at him about getting up in plenty of time. He shook his Dad roughly. ‘Dad, it’s gone seven already.’
Dad groaned and opened one eye. ‘Are you mad?’ he rasped, ‘It’s Saturday.’
1. Is Sam keen to go to school?
2. Why does Sam get out of bed more quickly than usual?
3. Why does Sam shake his Dad roughly to wake him up?
4. What kind of boy is Sam?
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© Crown copyright 2009
14 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Hero or zero?
Following the Norman invasion, life was
hard for the Saxon people of England.
Literacy Plus Resource R2.7
“Norman invaders…conquered the
whole country with fire and sword, they
robbed and killed and looted and
pillaged, and they took everything for
themselves…”
Robin was adored by the Saxons,
because he had so many admirable
qualities.
“They were proud of his daring and his
boldness, his sense of humour and his
fighting skills…”
The Sheriff of Nottingham is described
by Tony Bradman as a very dark
character.
“…a brutal and cunning man…”
Robin and the outlaws are like a family;
they do most things together.
“They were sitting round a campfire,
eating their evening meal…”
Marian is portrayed as a stereotypical
female who worries about Robin taking
too many risks.
‘“But what good will it do to put
yourself in such danger?” said Marian.’
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15 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Hero or zero?
Literacy Plus Resource R2.8
A week later, the day of the archery contest ______________________ bright
and sunny, and a _____________________ crowd began to gather in the
main courtyard of the sheriff’s castle. The Saxon people – who needed some
_______________________ themselves – were kept to one side,
_______________________ in behind a barrier, and watched by a line of
_______________ - _________________ Norman soldiers in their iron
helmets and chain-mail – their swords drawn.
A ____________________ pavilion – a __________________ thing of bright
silks and _________________________ pennants – had been set up for the
sheriff at the far end of the courtyard, so he could have the best view of the
contest, and also be _____________________________ from the glare of the
sun. He sat in a chair as big as a ________________ ________________, on
a raised platform _______________________ by his bodyguard, and
surrounded by ________________, local Normans and their wives.
A _________________ table stood in front of the sheriff, and the silver arrow
lay on it.
Extracts from Robin Hood and the Silver Arrow by Tony Bradman, T. and Ross, T. (2003) © Orchard Books, 2003. Used with kind
permission.
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© Crown copyright 2009
16 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Hero or zero?
Literacy Plus Resource R2.9
Jumbled review
 Must read.
It’s a hoot!
Although this book was written for younger readers - it is actually a picture book - the humour
will appeal to eight-year-olds, teenagers and adults. I know this because I showed to my
sister and my dad and they both laughed out loud. The humour is in both the text and the
illustrations.
Other books by the same author that Jon knows about?
Dr Xargle’s Book of Earthlets
The main character is Dr Xargle who is a mad professor Martian style. He is an ‘expert’ on
Earthlings and their world and gives lectures on this to his students. Dr Xargle knows all
about what goes on Earth but he does not really understand it. The other main characters in
the book are human beings and their pet dogs. It looks as if the dogs are in charge not the
humans.
There is not much text so the book is suited to younger readers and reluctant readers. Older
readers will enjoy the clever way that language is used to create humour. Tony Ross’s
illustrations are brilliant.
This review is written by Jon (age 14) from Reviewz 4 Kidz.
There’s no storyline in the usual sense. The book is Dr Xargle’s lecture on the topic of Earth
Hounds which are our pet dogs. He describes their various features using not quite the right
words. For instance he calls the dog’s tongue ‘a long, pink flannel’ and describes some of the
revolting things they do with it. He also describes the habits of dog’s and the way humans try
to cope. There is a section on puppies or houndlets. At the end it gets a bit sinister as Dr
Xargle promises to take his students to Earth to visit and see for themselves.
Dr Xargle’s Book of Earth Hounds
By
Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross
Andersen Press, 2002, 32 pages, ISBN-10: 1842701703
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© Crown copyright 2009
17 of 17 The National Strategies  Secondary
Key Stage 3 Literacy Plus
Original Review
This review is written by Jon (age 14) from Reviewz 4 Kidz.
Dr Xargle’s Book of Earth Hounds
By
Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross
Andersen Press, 2002, 32 pages, ISBN-10: 1842701703
How easy was it to get into this book?
Although this book was written for younger readers - it is actually a picture book - the humour
will appeal to eight-year-olds, teenagers and adults. I know this because I showed to my
sister and my dad and they both laughed out loud. The humour is in both the text and the
illustrations.
Who are the main characters?
The main character is Dr Xargle who is a mad professor Martian style. He is an ‘expert’ on
Earthlings and their world and gives lectures on this to his students. Dr Xargle knows all
about what goes on Earth but he does not really understand it. The other main characters in
the book are human beings and their pet dogs. It looks as if the dogs are in charge not the
humans.
There is not much text so the book is suited to younger readers and reluctant readers. Older
readers will enjoy the clever way that language is used to create humour. Tony Ross’s
illustrations are brilliant.
What is the story like?
There’s no storyline in the usual sense. The book is Dr Xargle’s lecture on the topic of Earth
Hounds which are our pet dogs. He describes their various features using not quite the right
words. For instance he calls the dog’s tongue ‘a long, pink flannel’ and describes some of the
revolting things they do with it. He also describes the habits of dog’s and the way humans try
to cope. There is a section on puppies or houndlets. At the end it gets a bit sinister as Dr
Xargle promises to take his students to Earth to visit and see for themselves.
How is it written?
There is not much text so the book is suited to younger readers and reluctant readers. Older
readers will enjoy the clever way that language is used to create humour. Tony Ross’s
illustrations are brilliant.
Other books by the same author that Jon knows about?
Dr Xargle’s Book of Earthlets
Overall verdict
 Must read.
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It’s a hoot!
© Crown copyright 2009