Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix (Remixed Classics, 3)
Author Aminah Mae Safi’s father told her stories of Muslim women carrying weapons, wrestling snakes with their bare hands, and leading their villages. Her family’s history is rich with resilient female leaders. These stories inspired the heroes in Travelers Along the Way, Rahma al-Hud and her fierce sister, Zeena. In 1192 during the Third Crusade, the warrior sisters are forced to leave the city of Akko when Richard I of England captures it.
As they make their way toward Jerusalem to defend the holy city, the pair encounters several talented and woefully misunderstood travelers, including a Mongolian warrior, an Andalusian scientist, and an English chaplain. Rahma al-Hud skillfully leads her unlikely crew behind enemy lines toward Jerusalem. However, despite her cunning, her love of mischief and big heart also lead them into terrible danger.
Rahma al-Hud is everything audiences love about Robin Hood: a quick mind, smart mouth, lighting-fast legs, and unmatched skill with a bow. More importantly, audiences will love everything Rahma al-Hud is not. She is not white, male, Western, noble, or a part of history. Aminah Mae Safi reclaims the story of the Crusades and tells it from the perspective of those who wanted no part in them.
Like the original legend, we don’t fall in love with Rahma al-Hud because she can steal; we fall in love with her because she can give. This character gives audiences the ability to see past religion, ethnicity, and gender. She empowers them to celebrate our shared humanity. I highly recommend these harrowing escapes and heart-stopping chase scenes for readers 13 and up!
