| Igraine the Brave | |
 | |
| Author(s) | Cornelia Funke |
| Original title | Igraine Ohnefurcht |
| Translator | Anthea Bell |
| Illustrator | Cornelia Funke |
| Country | Germany |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy |
| Publisher(s) | Dressler (Germany) Chicken House (UK) |
| Publication date | 1998 |
| English publication date | October 1, 2007 |
| ISBN | 0-439-90379-3 |
| Summary | The daughter of two magicians, twelve-year-old Igraine wants nothing more than to be a knight, and when their castle is attacked by a treacherous neighbor bent on stealing theirsinging magic books, Igraine has an opportunity to demonstrate her bravery. |
Igraine the Brave is a children's fantasy novel written by German author Cornelia Funke. It was first published in Germany under the name Igraine Ohnefurcht by Dressler. It is translated to English by Anthea Bell.
Blurb[]
As a daughter of two magicians, Igraine is expected to follow in their footsteps, casting spells and concocting potions, right? Actually, all she wants to be is a knight and have adventures. She gets her chance when Osmund the Greedy tries to take over the castle, and her parents are turned into pigs! Luckily her brother is making a potion to turn them back, but he needs one more ingredient. Will Igraine become a knight, save her parents, and beat Osmund? Or will Osmund the Greedy rule over the castle with an iron fist forever?
Detailed Plot Summary[]
Igraine lives in Pimpernel Castle with her family, parents Sir Lamorak and Fair Melisande and older brother Albert, magicians who possess powerful singing spellbooks of magic. Albert decides to follow the family line, but Igraine plans to be a knight one day, even though she feels that the family home is boring these days. Her ancestors, though, have warded off many attempts to steal the books of magic.
On her twelth birthday, Igraine's parents give her a magical suit of armor, but in the process of the spell, they turn themselves into pigs by mistake. The next-door Baroness's castle is taken over by Osmond the Greedy, who wants to take the magical books so he can overthrow the king. Igraine and her brother must find a way to defend the castle from Osmond's siege while keeping their parents' condition secret and searching for the missing ingredient for their restoration to human form. Albert handles the castle's magical defenses while Igraine leaves to find the missing ingredient. She finds the ingredient and some assistance, in the form of the Sorrowful Knight of the Mount of Tears, who not only agrees to help her return home but also begins teaching her about the rules of chivalry, and eventually helps Igraine and her family end the siege, and a Gentle Giant.