Beowulf the Warrior (Living History Library) (Paperback)

~ Ian Serraillier (Author, Editor), Severin (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Master storyteller Ian Serraillier has rewoven in modern narrative verse the story of Beowulf, the oldest epic in the English language. He succeeds in making this classic tale accessible to today's youth.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Bethlehem Books (June 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883937035
• ISBN-13: 978-1883937034
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 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: #337,089 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very entertaining bedtime story., January 9, 1999

By A Customer

My children (6 and 7 years old) thoroughly enjoyed listening to how the mighty and brave Beowulf defeated the evil Grendel and his Mother. The book is written very well and lends itself to a great deal of imagery. I was very glad this classic could be written in a manner that small children could understand and enjoy this great story.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant edition for young readers, May 7, 2007

By	Florentius (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

This handy edition of Beowulf has the virtue of being easily approachable by an average reader, whereas some of the other translations I've seen have almost been like reading the original Anglo-Saxon itself. The translation reads easily yet retains the flavor and rhythms of the ancient epic.

Though it's still a little advanced for my kids (under age 6), it will definitely be bedtime fare in the not-too-distant future. For those unfamiliar with the story, it tells the tale of Beowulf and his battles against awful Grendel, the hideous mother of Grendel, and the terrible fire-breathing dragon. This edition includes a number of illustrations which will certainly help draw younger readers into the story.

If you enjoyed Beowulf and want to know more about the Anglo-Saxon language, you might try A Book For The Beginner In Anglo-saxon: Comprising A Short Grammar and Some Selections from the Gospels. If you just like epic poems, there's also The Laviniad: An Epic Poem which is an epic in the Trojan War cycle written by a modern author and the classic The Ballad of the White Horse by G. K. Chesterton.