Beowulf

by Michael Morpurgo, Michael Foreman (Illustrator)

The acclaimed author and illustrator of SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT return with an exhilarating edition of Britain's oldest epic.

Long ago there was a Scandinavian warrior who fought three evils so powerful they could destroy whole kingdoms. Standing head and shoulders above his comrades, Beowulf single-handedly saves the land of the Danes from a merciless ogre named Grendel and then from his sea-hag mother. But it is his third terrible battle, with the death-dragon of the deep, in which he truly meets his match. Lovers of heroes, monsters, and the drama of battle will find this retelling as enthralling as it is tragic.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Classics, Childrens, Mythology, Medieval, School

160 pages, Paperback

First published October 24, 2006

About the author

Sir Michael Andrew Morpurgo, OBE, FRSL is the author of many books for children, five of which have been made into films. He also writes his own screenplays and libretti for opera. Born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, in 1943, he was evacuated to Cumberland during the last years of the Second World War, then returned to London, moving later to Essex. After a brief and unsuccessful spell in the army, he took up teaching and started to write. He left teaching after ten years in order to set up 'Farms for City Children' with his wife. They have three farms in Devon, Wales and Gloucestershire, open to inner city school children who come to stay and work with the animals. In 1999 this work was publicly recognised when he and his wife were invested a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to youth. In 2003, he was advanced to an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL) in 2004. He was knighted in the 2018 for his services to literature and charity. He is also a father and grandfather, so children have always played a large part in his life. Every year he and his family spend time in the Scilly Isles, the setting for three of his books.

Reviews

[Chris Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood, guts, destruction, bravery and all glory and honor to God Almighty, lumped into one little package! My daughter and I loved Beowulf by Michael Murporgo which is actually a retelling of the classic epic poem in a children's book format, complete with full color illustrations.

If you're not familiar with the story, it's told in three parts: Beowulf, a mighty hero, is called in to save the day. An evil fiend had been brutally terrorizing folks in a mead hall in a nearby kingdom. What's a "mead-hall?" It's something like a local pub where citizens get together and have a pint or two and talk about the good ol' days. Beowulf kills the creature Grendel, barehanded. But before the victory gets back into full swing again at the mead-hall, trouble brews once more out on the moors. Evidently, Grendel, the defeated foul foe, had a mother and now Beowulf's got to get rid of her as well. She is sea hag-like and just as wicked as junior. Beowulf goes to her evil under water lair, which is guarded by several diabolical sea-serpents and brutally cleans Grendel's mother's clock with a mighty sword. In the third act, Beowulf has gone back to his homeland a hero and becomes king after the passing of his father. Years later a vicious dragon is awakened after someone does something really stupid, (*warning: never steal gold from a sleeping dragon) and Beowulf must save his own people from the dragon's venomous fire. I won't tell you the outcome but it's extraordinarily exciting!

The illustrations in this children's story book are as brutal as the descriptive language which make it all the better! No watered-down "Walt Disney-ish" reprogramming here, so reader beware! Beowulf, is a true hero who actually fights and kills monsters with his bare hands and it ain't pretty...But it's good!

[MK]

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From the back cover, and also the first paragraph of the tale:

"Hear and listen well, and I will tell you a tale that has been told for a thousand years and more. it may be an old story, yet it troubles and terrifies us now as much as it ever did, for we still fear the evil that stalks out there in the darkness and beyond."

... and the last line of the book:

"Of all the kings that ever lived, they said, this was the gentlest and kindest to his people, the most gracious and famous the world had known. His life might be over, they said, but his name and his deeds would live on as long as his tale was told.

Which is Why, All
These Years Later,
I Have Told This Tale."

From the acknowledgements:

Acknowledgements
"I am not a scholar of Old English literature, so my research for this retelling was necessarily gleaned from other retellings and translations by poets and scholars and storytellers. Among many sources of inspiration for my own telling of Beowulf have been versions by the following writers and poets: Seamus Heaney, Rosemary Sutcliffe, Kevin Crossley-Holland, and Michael Alexander." --M.M.

From the front flap:

In this retelling, British Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo breathes new vitality into the oldest English epic, originally written around 1000 A.D.--the tale of Beowulf, a Geat warrior who battles three evils so powerful that they destroy entire kingdoms. Standing head and shoulders above his comrades, Beowulf single-handedly saves Denmark from Grendel, a "merciless murderous ogre," as well as from his sea-hag mother. But it is Beowulf's third terrible battle, against the "death-dragon of the deep," in which he truly meets his match.

Complemented by Michael Foreman's vivid illustrations, this epic tale is skillfully spun, with both the accessibility and the integrity it takes to capture a new audience. Lovers of superheroes and monsters, compassionate rulers and fearsome battles will find this retelling as enthralling as it is tragic.

From the back flap:

Michael Murpurgo, British Children's Laureate, 2203 to 2005, is the author of more than ninety books and the winner of many awards, including the Smarties Book Prize, the Writers' Guild Award, and, for his book The Wreck of the Zanzibar, the Whitbread Children's Book Award. He and Michael Foreman particularly lent their talents to a critically acclaimed retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Michael Foreman is one of the world's leading illustrators. He has written and illustrated numerous children's books and won several major awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal, the Kurt Maschler Award, and the Bologna Graphics Prize.

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[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just amazingly well told. Morpurgo retains the dramatic poetry of the original, the bite and strength of the narrative, and the Christian content. My kids are absolutely loving it, I feel almost as if they are reading the original.

Loved it.

[Kelly Gwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This hero tale has stood the test of time for good reason. The language of this version is poetic and sophisticated but very accessible…glory, guts, and gallantry abound. If you like the Hobbit/LOTR you’ll enjoy this thoroughly.

[Jason Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third kids version of Beowulf I've found and read to my kids. This is far and away the best kids version. Wonderful translation, great pictures, and he sticks to the story. I'd love to shake his hand.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ Well told story from a childhood fav author. Great illustrations and a quick yet engaging story.

[César Bustíos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't remember reading too much about Beowulf. Essentially because this annoying feeling I have towards poems. So, yeah, I wouldn't dare to read the original translated poem and that's the reason why I chose this little one as a starting point. It's a retelling and it's beautifully written. And even though I would like to put it under the "Norse" label and get on with it, it isn't. Supposedly because Old Norse literary tradition doesn't begin until the 12th century in Iceland and the Beowulf manuscript was produced between 975 and 1025. Having said this, it would fall under the "Germanic" category as far as I can tell. ⠀
⠀
The story itself revolves around the Scandinavian warrior known as Beowulf and his deeds against three monster antagonists: Grendel; Grendel's mother, a sea-hag; and, finally, the death-dragon of the deep. All creatures of darkness! Beowulf is probably the most altruistic hero I've heard of. It's an heroic legend and major themes are honor, loyalty, bravery and glory. It's also bloody and dramatic. You can totally guess what's gonna happen but it's worthy and amazingly well told. Michael Morpurgo is not some random fella, it seems. Ever seen the movie "War Horse"? He wrote the novel.⠀
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After reading "The Hobbit" in January, I was convinced that Tolkien has based part of his world-building, if not all, on a large amount of Norse mythology, which is not really that surprising, he was a philologist and language teacher English and Literature. But hear this: in the third part of the story, a slave awakens and enrages a dragon by stealing a golden goblet from his lair, the dragon had been sleeping on a huge treasure hoard for three centuries. It does ring a bell, doesn't it?

[Tiani · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you were to read this out loud, you'll find that the words flow from your tongue smoothly, like in a poem. There is a lot of alliteration in Beowulf, and sometimes, the use of words can describe the situation Beowulf is in. The story was a thrilling adventure, and was so descriptive, I could imagine every single scene in my mind. Reading Beowulf out loud can be really fun, it's dramatic but sometimes calm. My favourite chapter was actually the Death Dragon, even though the battle was a failure. It was amazing how Beowulf still had the strength to defeat a dragon, even in old age. I wish there was a second book to Beowulf. I still wonder what will happen when Beowulf has gone - will there be a new King?

[April Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!

My almost 12 year old son and I read this over the course of a few days and have thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are not my favorite, but the story telling is perhaps the best of the adaptations for children.

[bex 🌱 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Glad i finally know who Beowulf is, but the stories were crazy simple and predictable

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're studying the Middle Ages this year in our homeschool, so we kicked things off with this fun kids' version of Beowulf. Honestly, this book was exactly what I needed it to be for school. My boys are 8 and 10, and it was the perfect read-aloud for this age.

The book divides Beowulf's story into three main sections: His battle with Grendel, his battle with Grendel's mother, and his battle with the Death Dragon. It preserves the highfalutin language that's typical of epic poetry. We get few actual action scenes and a lot of speeches, which is also very typical. This version preserves the Christian sentiments that underpin Beowulf's bravery, painting him as a Christ figure.

I don't think that an adult would get a ton out of this, but there are some very beautiful turns of phrase and imagery.

It was simple and short enough to introduce my boys to the basic story, and we were able to talk about it quickly and do some good notebooking activities about the concepts of hero, villain, and epics.

[Kerianne Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first two parts of this retelling of Beowulf to my children earlier in the year, however we only just finished the account of his battle with the death dragon of the deep - a tale I was saving for after we finished The Hobbit. I absolutely loved it. The language itself is a joy to read aloud and Morpugo captured the spirit of the tale of Beowulf beautifully and in a way that was appreciated by my wide range of listeners. My just turned six year old was breathless with excitement as I read about the final battle with the Dragon while my older children had plenty to contribute to our discussion afterwards. I would recommend this re-telling to just about anyone. It has left me wanting to pick up my Heaney translation for a long overdue reread.

[Books And Chocaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was exactly what I wanted it to be. It was a heroic tale of honour vs evil. It read like folklore you tell children around a campfire. My children were enraptured with it as well which made for great bonding. I really enjoyed this read and I was surprised by the fact it was set in Christian times as opposed to pagan gods. I would really recommend this story!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent retelling that worked well for reading aloud for my kids, my kids were able to follow the story well. The illustrations weren’t overly grotesque. I didn’t spend a lot of time showing all the pictures to my younger kids.

[Martin Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun

[Lisa Carroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a fan of this classic epic. This type of book is too intense for the weak hearted like myself. All the talk of evil, blood, and violence doesn't rest well with this gentle heart, but I can understand the excitement that this book holds for some. The pictures in this book were very intense as well. Dark pictures, fearsome creatures, and perilous fights are depicted throuhout the book. This is such a tragic story and I am glad that I read it. I had always heard of this, but had never read it before. I can honestly say that I won't be reading any other versions of this epic. It was very well told and there were so many descriptive words and verses. I can appreciate what others see in this book, but it is not for me. I am also a lover of happy endings, so I was so disappointed in Beowulf's demise. I know that everything happens for a reason and that this was integral to the plot of the story, but I still can't say I enjoyed it.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a bit surprised by how much I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I highly suggest anyone and everyone read it! It is a classic tale of a warrior and king. Heroics, violence, faith, loyalty, morality, fatality, fantasy, humanity, cowardice, bravery and more all rolled up into the epic tales of Beowulf. I can imagine being in the great halls of old, headstrong the beasts and dirty tellers or snuggled by a warm danish fire heaing it told as a bedtime story.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to the tales of Beowulf. I really enjoyed it, having never read the stories before. There are graphic descriptions of violence, as you'd expect, but the tales are well told in a way that is suitable for the older child.

[Emily Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am sure that children would absolutely love this book. I enjoyed reading something different and a different style of writing, it’s just not my favourite genre. Worth a read though if teaching in later years.

[Bodhidasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This retelling captures the rhythm and drama of the original text but in a far more accessible way than some other tellings for children. Foreman's illustrations don't capture the horror or the nobility of the text which is my only criticism.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

"His life may be over, they said, but his name and his deeds would live on as long as his tale was told."

Last night I finished 'The Farthest Shore'. The final book in the Earthsea trilogy. I highlighted a single line - "I have seen dragons on the winds of morning" - as having a real impact on me. I also noted that the story, like many stories, was one that pointed out the futility of fighting death. That death was an inevitable part of life. Beowulf is also a story like that.

Death is everywhere in Beowulf. It is sometime horrible and nasty. Even though this was written as a Young Adult or Middle Grade version of Beowulf it doesn't particularly stint on the blood and guts. Beowulf is a mighty warrior. The mightiest of warriors. But as Hrothgar, King of the Danes, says to him at their parting: "Know, mighty Beowulf, that even with you the end must come, flesh and strength will fail...Death awaits us all."

There is something in the myths of the North that focuses on carrying on even as you know your doom is coming. Courage that outlives hope. I think it is part of the appeal of these myths to Tolkien. And the death-dragon of Beowulf with his great hoard of gold is clearly Smaug from The Hobbit. But also you can find it in the Rohirrim and in Théoden. The scene where Théoden addresses the riders before battle could have come out of Beowulf.

For a fighting man like me, daring is everything. How else will a fighting man be remembered if he does not dare?"

But these stories were told for a long time before they were written down. Told in the mead halls described in the book. They were only written down by Christians and Christianity seeps in, but doesn't quite overwhelm the story. God is a capital G. Grendel and his mother are referred to as 'Satan's children'. Yet as the quote above suggests Beowulf doesn't talk like a Christian and neither, really, does anyone else. This is a Germanic paganism give a gentle sheen of Christianity.

This is the second version of Beowulf I've read. The first being Seamus Heaney's excellent translation. This one is simpler and - mostly - less poetic but it feels like a story you could read out loud as it was meant to be read.

Having said that this book comes with some wonderful illustrations by Michael Foreman. One of which reminded me of Blake's 'Saturn Devouring His Son'. This means that although the page count is 150-ish pages in reality the large text and the illustrations means this is probably nearer 100 pages. Maybe less.

So, once more I have seen a dragon on the winds of morning. Once more I have read a story about the inevitability of death, even for the greatest of heroes. And this is shortly after I read 'The Epic of Gilgamesh', the OG of the warrior and inevitability of death stories.

[•Kait• •Boers• · Rating 1 out of 5]

THIS IS NOT A GOOD TRANSLATION
i mean i guess for like a child it’s… fine… i guess but like HOW CAN YOU NOT INCLUDE WEALHTHEOW’S NAME IF YOURE GONNA INCLUDE ASHHERE!!! ITS NOT EVEN IN VERSE YOU DONT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IT FITTING YOUR POETIC METER
the christianization hit this version HARD
just… i don’t like it.

[Nancy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful translation of Beowulf for children. This was an enjoyable read-aloud with my son. The language and sophistication stretched him but he always understood what was happening in the story. That’s a credit to Mr. Morpurgo, and I will continue to seek out his books.

[Helen Mears · Rating 4 out of 5]

A readable, poetic update of the Beowulf stories which would be great to use in school.

[Angel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn't a huge fan. It was a school assignment so I kind of had to read it, at least it was fast.

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great adaptation of Beowulf.

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have read this at school .
It has three stories in one.

[Avonlea Gal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t really get this tbh

[Ez-Boi23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

How the actual frick does this version have a higher rating than the original?