Beowulf (Paperback)

~ (Author), Charles Keeping (Illustrator) "STRANGER!' called Hygelac..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The classic eighth-century English poem is strikingly presented, making accessible the story of a young man's heroic journey to find and slay two monsters. Ages 11-up.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Asks to be placed immediately in the hands of every child...reads aloud resoundingly."--The School Librarian
"The strong, alliterative prose has something of the same quality as the splendid Old English verse. A remarkable achievement."--Children's Books of the Year
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (June 30, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192721844
• ISBN-13: 978-0192721846
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,876,920 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great intro to medieval literature., June 14, 2003

By	Tom Brody (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Beowulf (Paperback)

My 6 1/2 year old liked this from start to finish. The book is easy for a young kid to read, though there are some harder vocabulary words, such as "forfeit," "burnished," and "precipice." Her favorite part was the section where Grendel takes a victim:
"Grendel . . . lurched towards the nearest man, a brave Geat called Leofric, scooped him up and, with one ghastly claw, choked the scream in his throat. Then the monster ripped him apart, bit into his body, drank the blood from his veins, devoured huge pieces . . . swallowed the whole man, even his feet and hands." There is a nice Glossary at the end, telling the reader how to pronounce the English and Danish names (and names of swords!). If you are a parent, why teach your kid about King Arthur and Robin Hood, and stop there? There are other fine tales about knights, et al., i.e., Beowulf. The illustrations are stylized pen and ink, that is, they tend not to be literal representations of monsters and dragons. If you are teaching your kid about early English history, e.g., about William the Conqueror or about King Henry II, then this version of Beowulf makes a good accompaniment. Another excellent book, which narrates relationships more subtle than monster-hunting, is Canterbury Tales, retold by Geraldine McCaughrean (this is not a typo) with delightful illustrations by Victor G. Ambrus. None of Chaucer's baudy tales are in this kids' version. Instead, you'll find tales of faith, devotion, and trickery, all suitable for the age of five and up.

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful introduction to Beowulf. Exciting and well-written. So-so art., April 2, 2009

By	Quickhappy "quickhappy" (Big city, big country) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beowulf (Paperback)

This quick (50 page, less many, many illustrations) book makes for an exciting introduction to Beowulf. It's not an easy read, but it is well worth making the effort. I think that the tale will work best as a read-aloud to kids younger than ten. Children ten and up should be strong readers with good stamina, who can push through the difficult words. AND, the book can be read by adults only! I read this book without my 6 year old, and really enjoyed it.

The vocabulary is quite challenging for young ones. Consider on just one page: pyre, faggot, brooches, salvers, barrow, bequeathed. The book is laden with such vocabulary. And the old English names are difficult as well. Hrothgar, Aeschere, Wealhtheow, Heorot, Unferth,Ecgtheow, Hygelac, Healfdene, Scyld, and more. The art is on the abstract side: better for adults. The art does help to explain the story, but that is not its driving purpose. I liked it fine, but I think more straightforward art would have been beneficial, particularly to the young reader.

Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien would do well to buy this book. Clearly, Beowulf's battle with the dragon was inspiration for The Hobbit. Adults should not shy away from this read. It does not condescend. Thus it offers a fast and truncated, but still worthy, version of the old English tale.