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Bea Wolf
A modern middle-grade graphic novel retelling of Beowulf, featuring a gang of troublemaking kids who must defend their tree house from a fun-hating adult who can instantly turn children into grown-ups.
Listen! Hear a tale of mallow-munchers and warriors who answer candy’s clarion call!
Somewhere in a generic suburb stands Treeheart, a kid-forged sanctuary where generations of tireless tykes have spent their youths making merry, spilling soda, and staving off the shadow of adulthood. One day, these brave warriors find their fun cut short by their nefarious neighbor Grindle, who can no longer tolerate the sounds of mirth seeping into his joyless adult life.
As the guardian of gloom lays siege to Treeheart, scores of kids suddenly find themselves transformed into pimply teenagers and sullen adults! The survivors of the onslaught cry out for a savior—a warrior whose will is unbreakable and whose appetite for mischief is unbounded.
They call for Bea Wolf.
Listen! Hear a tale of mallow-munchers and warriors who answer candy’s clarion call!
Somewhere in a generic suburb stands Treeheart, a kid-forged sanctuary where generations of tireless tykes have spent their youths making merry, spilling soda, and staving off the shadow of adulthood. One day, these brave warriors find their fun cut short by their nefarious neighbor Grindle, who can no longer tolerate the sounds of mirth seeping into his joyless adult life.
As the guardian of gloom lays siege to Treeheart, scores of kids suddenly find themselves transformed into pimply teenagers and sullen adults! The survivors of the onslaught cry out for a savior—a warrior whose will is unbreakable and whose appetite for mischief is unbounded.
They call for Bea Wolf.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published March 21, 2023
82 people are currently reading
6007 people want to read
About the author
Zach Weinersmith
27 books342 followersZachary Weinersmith (born Zachary Alexander Weiner) is an American cartoonist, who is best known for his webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal (SMBC). He is the author of two other webcomics, the completed Captain Stupendous with artist Chris Jones, and Snowflakes, co-written by James Ashby and also illustrated by Chris Jones. He also founded the sketch comedy group SMBC Theater with James Ashby and Marty Weiner in 2009.
Weinersmith has been involved in writing and drawing comics since his high school years, but he first published on the internet in the late 1990s. His early comics usually had three or more panels, but after 2002, he switched to drawing predominantly one panel comics. He stated in a 2009 interview that he was glad to have decided to draw one panel comics because he felt three panel webcomics had become a webcomic cliche by that time, and that there were almost no decent one panel comics on the internet. More recently, he has drawn a mixture of single and multi panel comics for SMBC.
Weinersmith's webcomic was recognized in 2006, and 2007 with the Web Cartoonists' Choice Award for Outstanding Single Panel Comic,[3] and received nominations in 2003,[4] and 2008.[5]
SMBC is at heart a geek comic, which nevertheless addresses a broad range of topics, such as love, relationships, economics, politics, religion, science, and philosophy. As shown by the diverse range of blogs listed above, it appeals to many different groups.
SMBC has around 250,000 daily readers, served over 300,000,000 comics in 2010, and is one of the fastest growing comics online (has sextupled in readership since 2008). The comics have been featured on many important blogs, including The Economist, Glamour, BoingBoing, Bad Astronomy, Blastr, Blues News, Joystiq, Washington Post, Freakonomics, and more.
Zach has a degree in Literature and 3/8ths of a degree in physics. He enjoys reading about math, logic, science, history, fiction, and philosophy. His hobbies are space travel, dinosaur riding, and wishful thinking. He currently lives in southern California with his beautiful and brilliant wife.
Note: Zach publishes SMBC and SMBC material under both "Zach Weiner" and "Zach Weinersmith".
Weinersmith has been involved in writing and drawing comics since his high school years, but he first published on the internet in the late 1990s. His early comics usually had three or more panels, but after 2002, he switched to drawing predominantly one panel comics. He stated in a 2009 interview that he was glad to have decided to draw one panel comics because he felt three panel webcomics had become a webcomic cliche by that time, and that there were almost no decent one panel comics on the internet. More recently, he has drawn a mixture of single and multi panel comics for SMBC.
Weinersmith's webcomic was recognized in 2006, and 2007 with the Web Cartoonists' Choice Award for Outstanding Single Panel Comic,[3] and received nominations in 2003,[4] and 2008.[5]
SMBC is at heart a geek comic, which nevertheless addresses a broad range of topics, such as love, relationships, economics, politics, religion, science, and philosophy. As shown by the diverse range of blogs listed above, it appeals to many different groups.
SMBC has around 250,000 daily readers, served over 300,000,000 comics in 2010, and is one of the fastest growing comics online (has sextupled in readership since 2008). The comics have been featured on many important blogs, including The Economist, Glamour, BoingBoing, Bad Astronomy, Blastr, Blues News, Joystiq, Washington Post, Freakonomics, and more.
Zach has a degree in Literature and 3/8ths of a degree in physics. He enjoys reading about math, logic, science, history, fiction, and philosophy. His hobbies are space travel, dinosaur riding, and wishful thinking. He currently lives in southern California with his beautiful and brilliant wife.
Note: Zach publishes SMBC and SMBC material under both "Zach Weiner" and "Zach Weinersmith".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 798 reviews
March 29, 2023
I took a chance on this book thinking my kids (aged 5 and 8) would probably still be too young to enjoy it. On the contrary, they were utterly enthralled. Shrieks of laughter rang out through the house.
Some have commented that the language is too challenging. I would suggest that layers of comprehension are possible (as with most books), and there's no reason to be afraid of slowing down, talking about, or rereading passages. The poetic use of language is a big part of what makes the book such a joy to read, and kept my younger kiddo entertained even when he may not have fully grasped all dimensions of the story. The gorgeous supporting illustrations, deserve their due as well.
At the end of the book my daughter stormed out of the room and declared, "I bestrode the burger-hall, brave in the storm of cheese." I don't know what to call that other than a rave review.
Some have commented that the language is too challenging. I would suggest that layers of comprehension are possible (as with most books), and there's no reason to be afraid of slowing down, talking about, or rereading passages. The poetic use of language is a big part of what makes the book such a joy to read, and kept my younger kiddo entertained even when he may not have fully grasped all dimensions of the story. The gorgeous supporting illustrations, deserve their due as well.
At the end of the book my daughter stormed out of the room and declared, "I bestrode the burger-hall, brave in the storm of cheese." I don't know what to call that other than a rave review.
December 11, 2023
Absolutely amazing!
I’m not sure I have the words to describe both the ingenious writing and artwork that is contained in this middle grade graphic novel.
While it is a retelling of the classic, Bea Wolf frames the story in a way that is both entertaining and engaging for younger readers. There is a beautiful weaving in of the differences in childhood and adulthood that made me question why we as adults so frequently lose our inner child for the nuances of adulthood. The care free nature of just enjoying life is something that we should all battle for. The language used in this book is poetic and reminiscent of the classic, yet accessible for younger readers. I thought that it would be too much but it works well. And let’s not forget the beautiful, epic artwork. If this author was from the US l am convinced that this would easily receive a Caldecott whether the honor or the metal. It’s gorgeous and beautifully captures the feelings of the text.
If there is any graphic novel that you should read this year, my friends this is it. Hands down one of my favorites of 2023!
I’m not sure I have the words to describe both the ingenious writing and artwork that is contained in this middle grade graphic novel.
While it is a retelling of the classic, Bea Wolf frames the story in a way that is both entertaining and engaging for younger readers. There is a beautiful weaving in of the differences in childhood and adulthood that made me question why we as adults so frequently lose our inner child for the nuances of adulthood. The care free nature of just enjoying life is something that we should all battle for. The language used in this book is poetic and reminiscent of the classic, yet accessible for younger readers. I thought that it would be too much but it works well. And let’s not forget the beautiful, epic artwork. If this author was from the US l am convinced that this would easily receive a Caldecott whether the honor or the metal. It’s gorgeous and beautifully captures the feelings of the text.
If there is any graphic novel that you should read this year, my friends this is it. Hands down one of my favorites of 2023!
February 17, 2023
Now I know some people are going to think that a kids’ version of Beowulf is too much for ten-year-olds. But I can tell you from personal experience it’s not. When I was ten I read an excerpt of Beowulf in Cricket magazine. It was riveting. I still can remember what it felt like to read that: exciting, captivating, and subversive. Even though I knew it was a classic, I also thought that if my mom knew I was reading something this violent, she wouldn’t be pleased. And then I super looked forward to it being assigned one day in school (I was not disappointed) which is the way to approach anything written in Middle English.
So here we have a beautiful graphic novel retelling featuring a little girl named Bea Wolf, who is going to battle the evil Mr. Grindle to save the children’s idealized fantasy land. Naturally, Mr. Grindle can’t go around killing children, so instead what Mr. Weinersmith has changed it to is: Mr. Grindle touches (not in a bad way–just a finger on a arm) the kids and by doing so, turns them into grown ups who talk about nothing but mortgage interest rates and 401(k)s. I mean, they might as well be dead. (So clever!)
The illustrations are gorgeous–so rich and layered that I was actually glad they weren’t in color as I think that would be overwhelming. This amazingly creative retelling also mimics the original language with using a ton of alliteration throughout. Kids will just enjoy the crap out of this, and not realize they’re also learning about a Great Classic. Let them enjoy!
So here we have a beautiful graphic novel retelling featuring a little girl named Bea Wolf, who is going to battle the evil Mr. Grindle to save the children’s idealized fantasy land. Naturally, Mr. Grindle can’t go around killing children, so instead what Mr. Weinersmith has changed it to is: Mr. Grindle touches (not in a bad way–just a finger on a arm) the kids and by doing so, turns them into grown ups who talk about nothing but mortgage interest rates and 401(k)s. I mean, they might as well be dead. (So clever!)
The illustrations are gorgeous–so rich and layered that I was actually glad they weren’t in color as I think that would be overwhelming. This amazingly creative retelling also mimics the original language with using a ton of alliteration throughout. Kids will just enjoy the crap out of this, and not realize they’re also learning about a Great Classic. Let them enjoy!
August 6, 2025
In Zach Weinersmith's 2023 retelling of the Old English epic poem Beowulf (of the first third, that is), in his Bea Wolf, the warriors of the early Middle Ages are replaced by tribes of children who want nothing more than to eat candy, drink soda and just enjoy being kids, and with Beowulf's dreaded monster Grendel transformed in Bea Wolf into the fun-hating, sensitive to and against all noise middle-aged disgustingly vile and misophonic curmudgeon Mr. Grindle, who lashes out against all childhood fun and whose magical touch (from his long fingers) can rapidly age children directly into either teenagerhood or adulthood (sounds tame enough on the surface and not really all that problematic, I guess, but no, in Bea Wolf, this scenario is most definitely and repeatedly shown as pretty much all encompassingly horrid and as something that therefore needs to be relentlessly fought against, and with Mr. Grindle therefore also being depicted by Weinersmith's text and Boulet's images as a monster-like enemy par excellence, as an infernal and demonic entity who absolutely needs to be destroyed and neutralised by Bea Wolf just as much as Grendel does in Beowulf by Beowulf).
But first and foremost, Zach Weinersmith's retelling of Beowulf presents a lot of textual fun, featuring much whimsy, much delightfully silly contents and thematics, which both children and equally so adults should enjoy (and with French cartoonist Boulet adding equally light-hearted, often visually cute and adorable black, white and grey hued images of child kings, treehouse courts and toy-wielding warriors, although I do tend to find how Mr. Grindle is illustrated by Boulet a bit too overly exaggerated and creepy for me personally, but well, that is probably done on purpose and to visually demonstrate just how different and how inherently negative, how much of an infuriating kill-joy, how utterly despicable Mr. Grindle is compared to the children he so despises). And yes, Bea Wolf often makes me laugh and giggle (out loud) at both Weinersmith's words and at Boulet's accompanying artwork, at how text and illustrations in Bea Wolf combine to make delightfully satirical commentaries on the shifting interests among different stages in life, such as for example regarding the horrors of facial hair, on having to shave, how being surly and cell phone addicted, how bow ties, anger, being obsessed with money, careers, with the news and even with healthy eating, with boring vegetables instead of candy immediately descend upon the children as simply one touch from Grindle’s long, bony fingers totally ages them (and how unlike in Beowulf where many people die horrible physical deaths from Grendel’s claws and teeth, well, in Bea Wolf, nobody might actually die, but that being cursed to artificially age too quickly is definitely a type of spiritual death and destruction as well).
And yes, although this book is marketed as a graphic novel, in my opinion, Bea Wolf is not really told with sequential art, in so far that Bea Wolf is obviously Zach Weinersmith's story, how it is always his words that primarily drive the narrative (and which I actually hugely appreciate), that while Boulet’s images very nicely and most adeptly accompany what Weinersmith is verbally presenting in Bea Wolf, they act more like a mirror, and are as such not on the same level as the presented narrative, that Boulet's images are aesthetically delightful, full of details and visual personality, but that for me Bea Wolf reads not so much like a comic book but more like a richly illustrated children's story with detailed artwork that reflects but does not ever take over from what is verbally being shown.
Now and finally, with regard to Zach Weinersmith's writing style for Bea Wolf, yes indeed, I do really enjoy how he and like is the case with Beowulf, with the epic poem being rewritten, uses many alliterations and kennings. However, my verbal delight regarding the latter notwithstanding, I do wonder if this could get a bit textually overwhelming for younger children, and that as such, I do think that children younger than ten or elven might find Bea Wolf potentially a trifle difficult and maybe even occasionally somewhat tedious and in particular if reading Bea Wolf independently (so that parents and/or teachers should be aware of this and to therefore consider reading Bea Wolf aloud with younger audiences and equally so in short and manageable chunks). But yes, for me, the combination of Weinersmith's text and Boulet's images in Bea Wolf has been absolutely delightful, rates as solidly four stars, and with the detailed, engagingly penned and enlightening supplemental materials regarding Beowulf, Zach Weinersmith's writing process etc. both being very much appreciated and also upping my star rating for Bea Wolf from four to five stars (and that I also kind of wish that when I had to read Beowulf for school in the early 1980s, a fun and engaging retelling like Bea Wolf could have been available).
But first and foremost, Zach Weinersmith's retelling of Beowulf presents a lot of textual fun, featuring much whimsy, much delightfully silly contents and thematics, which both children and equally so adults should enjoy (and with French cartoonist Boulet adding equally light-hearted, often visually cute and adorable black, white and grey hued images of child kings, treehouse courts and toy-wielding warriors, although I do tend to find how Mr. Grindle is illustrated by Boulet a bit too overly exaggerated and creepy for me personally, but well, that is probably done on purpose and to visually demonstrate just how different and how inherently negative, how much of an infuriating kill-joy, how utterly despicable Mr. Grindle is compared to the children he so despises). And yes, Bea Wolf often makes me laugh and giggle (out loud) at both Weinersmith's words and at Boulet's accompanying artwork, at how text and illustrations in Bea Wolf combine to make delightfully satirical commentaries on the shifting interests among different stages in life, such as for example regarding the horrors of facial hair, on having to shave, how being surly and cell phone addicted, how bow ties, anger, being obsessed with money, careers, with the news and even with healthy eating, with boring vegetables instead of candy immediately descend upon the children as simply one touch from Grindle’s long, bony fingers totally ages them (and how unlike in Beowulf where many people die horrible physical deaths from Grendel’s claws and teeth, well, in Bea Wolf, nobody might actually die, but that being cursed to artificially age too quickly is definitely a type of spiritual death and destruction as well).
And yes, although this book is marketed as a graphic novel, in my opinion, Bea Wolf is not really told with sequential art, in so far that Bea Wolf is obviously Zach Weinersmith's story, how it is always his words that primarily drive the narrative (and which I actually hugely appreciate), that while Boulet’s images very nicely and most adeptly accompany what Weinersmith is verbally presenting in Bea Wolf, they act more like a mirror, and are as such not on the same level as the presented narrative, that Boulet's images are aesthetically delightful, full of details and visual personality, but that for me Bea Wolf reads not so much like a comic book but more like a richly illustrated children's story with detailed artwork that reflects but does not ever take over from what is verbally being shown.
Now and finally, with regard to Zach Weinersmith's writing style for Bea Wolf, yes indeed, I do really enjoy how he and like is the case with Beowulf, with the epic poem being rewritten, uses many alliterations and kennings. However, my verbal delight regarding the latter notwithstanding, I do wonder if this could get a bit textually overwhelming for younger children, and that as such, I do think that children younger than ten or elven might find Bea Wolf potentially a trifle difficult and maybe even occasionally somewhat tedious and in particular if reading Bea Wolf independently (so that parents and/or teachers should be aware of this and to therefore consider reading Bea Wolf aloud with younger audiences and equally so in short and manageable chunks). But yes, for me, the combination of Weinersmith's text and Boulet's images in Bea Wolf has been absolutely delightful, rates as solidly four stars, and with the detailed, engagingly penned and enlightening supplemental materials regarding Beowulf, Zach Weinersmith's writing process etc. both being very much appreciated and also upping my star rating for Bea Wolf from four to five stars (and that I also kind of wish that when I had to read Beowulf for school in the early 1980s, a fun and engaging retelling like Bea Wolf could have been available).
December 27, 2023
A nifty retelling of the epic Beowulf poem moves the action to a modern-day suburb and casts children in most of the roles, with Grendel becoming Mr. Grindle, the surly middle-aged neighbor next door who is tired of all the noise and mess from the kids' treehouse hanging just a smidge over his fence line. In addition to being a general party-pooper, his magical touch can cause children to become angsty teens or anxious adults who no longer care about toys and candy. Bea Wolf arrives from a kingdom a few blocks away to save the day . . . after we hear some stories of epic feats of pig wrangling and dodgeball playing.
The verse gets a bit tiresome, but works a little better if you read it aloud and lean into the bombast.
I'm glad they left room for a sequel, because I'd like to see what Mrs. Grindle take center stage next time.
(Best of 2023 Project: I'm reading all the graphic novels that made it onto NPR's Books We Love 2023: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels list.)
The verse gets a bit tiresome, but works a little better if you read it aloud and lean into the bombast.
I'm glad they left room for a sequel, because I'd like to see what Mrs. Grindle take center stage next time.
(Best of 2023 Project: I'm reading all the graphic novels that made it onto NPR's Books We Love 2023: Favorite Comics and Graphic Novels list.)
March 23, 2023
This might just be the best thing Zach Weinersmith has ever made.
April 12, 2023
Delightful. Everyone who gave this less than five stars is a fun-hating grownup. Go back to your bank appointments and darken the doorways of Treeheart no more!
January 21, 2024
I read this for a class (we compared it with Beowulf, which it is a retelling of). It was really cute and clever in its approach.
January 3, 2024
My daughter was gifted this by her aunt, and I was pretty excited by the idea of it, but I was blown away by how well done it is! It takes just the main story of Grendel and Beowulf (I can't blame them for skipping the dragon, etc. Not that there's anything wrong with the dragon part :) ) and adapts it into an extremely fun graphic novel about children rebelling against an angry old grump named Mr. Grendel, with lore and side stories packed in. The adaptions to turn this into kid world are all very fun: the mead hall is a tree house, Grendel turns kids old instead of biting off their heads, etc.
More than the plot, though, I was impressed with the writing. It really /feels/ like Beowulf in the kennings and alliteration. If you haven't read Beowulf, you might not find the book as interesting. A lot of my delight has come from how reminiscent of the original, translated text it is. I would definitely recommend reading Beowulf before this, but I won't say you can't enjoy it if you don't get the references.
The author includes an essay at the end giving a brief history of Beowulf and the codex it lives in, as well as some info about the way it was written in Old English and poetry and epics at the time, which contributed to how he decided to write this. This essay is also aimed at children, and I think fairly engaging.
I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun with this as a family over the years!
Edit: also, definitely a read aloud book! Even if you're alone! It begs to be read out loud; trust me.
More than the plot, though, I was impressed with the writing. It really /feels/ like Beowulf in the kennings and alliteration. If you haven't read Beowulf, you might not find the book as interesting. A lot of my delight has come from how reminiscent of the original, translated text it is. I would definitely recommend reading Beowulf before this, but I won't say you can't enjoy it if you don't get the references.
The author includes an essay at the end giving a brief history of Beowulf and the codex it lives in, as well as some info about the way it was written in Old English and poetry and epics at the time, which contributed to how he decided to write this. This essay is also aimed at children, and I think fairly engaging.
I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun with this as a family over the years!
Edit: also, definitely a read aloud book! Even if you're alone! It begs to be read out loud; trust me.
September 16, 2025
La vigencia de los clásicos se demuestra en su capacidad para ser recreados una y otra vez sin perder su esencia. Un ejemplo es esta revisión de Beowulf, convertida en un cuento infantil con tal fidelidad que muchos de sus pasajes son paráfrasis del poema original. Eso sí, el libro se limita a adaptar solo la primera parte, donde el ruido incesante de los niños irrita al malvado señor Grindle, un ser que odia las fiestas y la diversión.
Sorprende cómo Zach Weinersmith recrea el mito con un dibujo excelente de Boulet —destaca su manejo de los grises—, que retrata una historia claramente infantil pero que, al mismo tiempo, transmite una sensación épica. Esto se refuerza con la decisión de mantener la poética del original.
Esta adaptación demuestra que los mitos antiguos pueden dialogar con las nuevas generaciones sin perder su esencia. Weinersmith logra un equilibrio perfecto: simplifica la trama para los niños, pero respeta el ritmo y la solemnidad del poema original. El resultado es un Beowulf accesible, pero que invita a descubrir, en el futuro, la obra en su versión clásica. Una puerta de entrada ideal para jóvenes lectores... y un deleite para quienes ya conocen el mito.
En definitiva, una adaptación divertida que, aunque difiere en muchos aspectos, conserva lo esencial.
Sorprende cómo Zach Weinersmith recrea el mito con un dibujo excelente de Boulet —destaca su manejo de los grises—, que retrata una historia claramente infantil pero que, al mismo tiempo, transmite una sensación épica. Esto se refuerza con la decisión de mantener la poética del original.
Esta adaptación demuestra que los mitos antiguos pueden dialogar con las nuevas generaciones sin perder su esencia. Weinersmith logra un equilibrio perfecto: simplifica la trama para los niños, pero respeta el ritmo y la solemnidad del poema original. El resultado es un Beowulf accesible, pero que invita a descubrir, en el futuro, la obra en su versión clásica. Una puerta de entrada ideal para jóvenes lectores... y un deleite para quienes ya conocen el mito.
En definitiva, una adaptación divertida que, aunque difiere en muchos aspectos, conserva lo esencial.
July 7, 2024
Sign my petition to make this the official school read instead of boring Beowulf
July 7, 2024
"MAKE NO MORE CLOUDS.
I HAVE DRAWN THE RAiNBOW HERE."
@anyone who tries to dull my sparkle.
I HAVE DRAWN THE RAiNBOW HERE."
@anyone who tries to dull my sparkle.
May 9, 2023
Never have I been so compelled to recommend a book to so many people. Anybody whom I thought might enjoy wordplay, evocative illustrations, and sheer rambunctiousness I told about this book. It's a bit of a tough sell, since muttering the words "retelling of Beowulf" never did heighten anybody's senses. But just handing the book over and saying "hey read this page" was enough to elicit a laugh. It's good!
April 5, 2023
Really, really good. Manages to maintain the feel of Beowulf via its alliteration and diction without being inaccessible to kids. Fantastic.
November 23, 2023
Magnificent in every way
August 18, 2024
A cute, middle-grade retelling of the epic poem Beowulf, recommended to me recently by my friend Star. :D
In this version, a group of kids with a messy, loud treehouse find themselves dealing with Mr. Grindle, a grumpy adult who detests anything fun-related. He has the ability to turn kids into teenagers or adults obsessed with boring things like the stock market and taxes - all with just a touch. Tired of the noise, Mr. Grindle tries to take over the treehouse and clean everything up. Bea Wolf, a brave child, volunteers to stand up to Mr. Grindle in this amusing, lighthearted story.
It's adorable and I definitely recommend it whether it's for yourself or to read with your little munchkin(s).
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Amanda L., Sharon, Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E. & Mel
In this version, a group of kids with a messy, loud treehouse find themselves dealing with Mr. Grindle, a grumpy adult who detests anything fun-related. He has the ability to turn kids into teenagers or adults obsessed with boring things like the stock market and taxes - all with just a touch. Tired of the noise, Mr. Grindle tries to take over the treehouse and clean everything up. Bea Wolf, a brave child, volunteers to stand up to Mr. Grindle in this amusing, lighthearted story.
It's adorable and I definitely recommend it whether it's for yourself or to read with your little munchkin(s).
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Amanda L., Sharon, Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E. & Mel
August 27, 2023
I think for this concept to work, the end product needs to work for those wholly unfamiliar with the source material and then be even more rewarding for those who are familiar with it. In my opinion, this version requires fairly deep (i.e., not just knowing the general Beowulf plot) knowledge of the source to even begin to appreciate it. So who is this for? Maybe some highschoolers, but if that's the case, I think it was a mistake to make the characters pre-schoolers instead of teenagers (which would certainly have been doable.)
Edited to add - looking at more positive reviews of this, I concede this might work better as a read-aloud to children. My review was from the perspective of self-reading.
Edited to add - looking at more positive reviews of this, I concede this might work better as a read-aloud to children. My review was from the perspective of self-reading.
May 11, 2025
Graphic novel davvero spassosa - una riscrittura di Beowulf in cui il mostro è l'adultità (ovvero il diventare brutti ceffi neri noiosi incapaci di divertirsi e d'essere selvaggi).
Non so se esistono genitori che leggono in compagnia della prole prima di andare a dormire, i miei con me non lo hanno mai fatto, ma questo mi sembra si presti perfettamente: si apre a più livelli interpretativi, è un gancio con un pilastro della letteratura (che non ho mai letto, ma ora mi è venuta voglia) e fa spanciare dal ridere. La resa "poetica" fa il testo a tratti complesso per via delle parole non sempre d'uso comune, rendendo utile la presenza di un adulto con un dizionario più ampio. Ché, pur tediosi e seriosi, possiamo almeno essere sfruttati come vocabolario.
Le immagini, poi, sono molto evocative.
Scelta interessante, questo secondo volume della collana Cherry Bomb diretta da Zerocalcare. Lontanissimo per tono da The grocery, in entrambi, a ben vedere, c'è lo stesso sguardo dissacrante verso il mondo dei "grandi", oltre al tono scanzonato che cela messaggi di sostanza. Un po' come Zero stesso ci ha abituato nei suoi lavori.
Attendo con curiosità il prossimo volume.
Non so se esistono genitori che leggono in compagnia della prole prima di andare a dormire, i miei con me non lo hanno mai fatto, ma questo mi sembra si presti perfettamente: si apre a più livelli interpretativi, è un gancio con un pilastro della letteratura (che non ho mai letto, ma ora mi è venuta voglia) e fa spanciare dal ridere. La resa "poetica" fa il testo a tratti complesso per via delle parole non sempre d'uso comune, rendendo utile la presenza di un adulto con un dizionario più ampio. Ché, pur tediosi e seriosi, possiamo almeno essere sfruttati come vocabolario.
Le immagini, poi, sono molto evocative.
Scelta interessante, questo secondo volume della collana Cherry Bomb diretta da Zerocalcare. Lontanissimo per tono da The grocery, in entrambi, a ben vedere, c'è lo stesso sguardo dissacrante verso il mondo dei "grandi", oltre al tono scanzonato che cela messaggi di sostanza. Un po' come Zero stesso ci ha abituato nei suoi lavori.
Attendo con curiosità il prossimo volume.
August 25, 2025
Whimsical in the way it made me remember kid-logic.
March 13, 2024
Ok, adding my adult son's reaction, as he loved it even more than I did. He says it's a book to own. Read it aloud to your child over & over: as they ask for it again & again, and through the years. When younger, mainly you're reading for the sounds and broad ideas. Gradually help them understand the vocabulary. When they're older they'll get more & more out of it.
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Anybody might love this. I'd offer it first to parents who have studied but mostly forgotten Beowulf. Then to kids about age 11 who don't actually want to grow up to be teenagers. Then to everyone else.
Yes, I'd even recommend it to those children age 5, the age of the characters, if they have a sympathetic mentor reading the savage poetry aloud to them for the sound even more than for vocabulary words.
I still wish that I could find the translation that I read in high school, almost half a century ago, because I still remember the driving rhythm and alliteration of one small bit. Weinersmith has totally captured that appeal, but of course with different words. (In his excellent author's note, he offers the leads to look for Chickering, or possibly Liuzza.)
Btw, if you like this, also consider Jerry Spinelli's Hokey Pokey.
Now, to read an entirely different book, that has the same author's name on the cover, Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything. (!)
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Anybody might love this. I'd offer it first to parents who have studied but mostly forgotten Beowulf. Then to kids about age 11 who don't actually want to grow up to be teenagers. Then to everyone else.
Yes, I'd even recommend it to those children age 5, the age of the characters, if they have a sympathetic mentor reading the savage poetry aloud to them for the sound even more than for vocabulary words.
I still wish that I could find the translation that I read in high school, almost half a century ago, because I still remember the driving rhythm and alliteration of one small bit. Weinersmith has totally captured that appeal, but of course with different words. (In his excellent author's note, he offers the leads to look for Chickering, or possibly Liuzza.)
Btw, if you like this, also consider Jerry Spinelli's Hokey Pokey.
Now, to read an entirely different book, that has the same author's name on the cover, Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything. (!)
April 4, 2023
This middle grade graphic novel is a fun remix of Beowolf. In this version, the hall is full of fun loving kids and the monster is presented in the form of a plain, boring, grumpy adult who can turn kids into dreaded teens and adults with the touch of his finger. I think this was such a fun idea. I think middle grade students will enjoy the story, but might struggle some with the text, even though that won't stop them for checking it! I think this would be so neat to include in English class when they read Beowolf in HS, too.
April 12, 2023
This was so much fun! I can't recommend it enough. The author is hilarious and gives a history of Beowulf at the end which is very interesting.
July 20, 2023
This was just the coolest thing ever. I loved every single thing about it. The writing, the illustrations, the adaptation of the original story. Such a creative idea!
April 8, 2024
100% deserving of its Hugo nomination. This inventive and brilliant retelling of Beowulf captivated me from start to finish. And it was an IMPECCABLE tongue twister to read to the dogs!
July 1, 2025
Nella sala di Cuoralbero, re Roger, erede di una lunga dinastia di sovrani bambini, regna sui suoi coetanei, garantendo loro un'esistenza di dolciumi, giocattoli e notti che si prolungano ben oltre il momento della nanna. Tutto ciò è minacciato dal signor Grindle, quarantenne frustrato dotato del terribile potere di adultificare tutto ciò che tocca, rendendolo capace di parlare soltanto di politica ed economia. Una guerriera della corte di Heidi, situata oltre il fiume, dovrà accorrere in aiuto di re Roger e dei suoi sudditi: Bea Wolf, dal cappello a orso e dalla gonna a fiori.
Ok, così sembra una storia simpatica, ma non particolarmente originale nel panorama dei libri per bambini. Sicuramente le illustrazioni di Boulet aiutano a renderla memorabile, ma lo stile di scrittura è ciò che conta di più: Bea Wolf è un poema a fumetti, in cui
le vignette sono intervallate da circa seicento versi.
Come si deduce dal nome della protagonista (ma anche l'antagonista Grindle non può che richiamare il mostruoso Grendel), il libro prende grande ispirazione da Beowulf, l'antico poema che dà inizio alla letteratura inglese. Dall'epica medievale, Weinersmith riprende alcuni aspetti linguistici: le numerose allitterazioni e le kenning, ossia le metafore condensate e ricorrenti, che diventano quasi epiteti. Un applauso al traduttore italiano, che è riuscito a mantenere il sapore epico del testo: provate a leggere ad alta voce per crederci!
Consigliato.
Ok, così sembra una storia simpatica, ma non particolarmente originale nel panorama dei libri per bambini. Sicuramente le illustrazioni di Boulet aiutano a renderla memorabile, ma lo stile di scrittura è ciò che conta di più: Bea Wolf è un poema a fumetti, in cui
le vignette sono intervallate da circa seicento versi.
Come si deduce dal nome della protagonista (ma anche l'antagonista Grindle non può che richiamare il mostruoso Grendel), il libro prende grande ispirazione da Beowulf, l'antico poema che dà inizio alla letteratura inglese. Dall'epica medievale, Weinersmith riprende alcuni aspetti linguistici: le numerose allitterazioni e le kenning, ossia le metafore condensate e ricorrenti, che diventano quasi epiteti. Un applauso al traduttore italiano, che è riuscito a mantenere il sapore epico del testo: provate a leggere ad alta voce per crederci!
Consigliato.
July 29, 2025
This book captivated all of us (kids and adults) from the very first line:
"Hey wait! Listen to the lives of long-ago kids, the world-fighters, the parent-unminding kids, the improper, the politeness-proof, the unbowed bully-crushers, the bedtime-breakers, the raspberry-blowers, fighters of fun-killers, fearing nothing, fated for fame."
Reframing the conflict of the original into the world of children both makes the material safer and simultaneously raises the stakes. The quest is no longer to simply avoid death, but avoid losing the spark of childlike wonder and ferocity that feels so distant when we try to find it in the rear-view mirror.
The language is the perfect blend of exuberant irreverence and careful crafted alliteration. It feels like the Old English poetry I remember from undergraduate English classes--heavy with alliterative, rhythmic phrases that push forward urgently. The illustrations do a wonderful job of capturing the menace and darkness of the original and transforming it into something just scary enough but never over the top.
As an act of translation/adaptation this book is remarkable. It would be a wonderful launchpad for discussion of what it means to translate and adapt a piece of art into a different cultural context and also into a different medium.
At the end of the day, the greatest merit of this book is how much fun it is to read, especially aloud. What a treasure.
"Hey wait! Listen to the lives of long-ago kids, the world-fighters, the parent-unminding kids, the improper, the politeness-proof, the unbowed bully-crushers, the bedtime-breakers, the raspberry-blowers, fighters of fun-killers, fearing nothing, fated for fame."
Reframing the conflict of the original into the world of children both makes the material safer and simultaneously raises the stakes. The quest is no longer to simply avoid death, but avoid losing the spark of childlike wonder and ferocity that feels so distant when we try to find it in the rear-view mirror.
The language is the perfect blend of exuberant irreverence and careful crafted alliteration. It feels like the Old English poetry I remember from undergraduate English classes--heavy with alliterative, rhythmic phrases that push forward urgently. The illustrations do a wonderful job of capturing the menace and darkness of the original and transforming it into something just scary enough but never over the top.
As an act of translation/adaptation this book is remarkable. It would be a wonderful launchpad for discussion of what it means to translate and adapt a piece of art into a different cultural context and also into a different medium.
At the end of the day, the greatest merit of this book is how much fun it is to read, especially aloud. What a treasure.
May 14, 2023
Hundreds more "Librarian's Perspective Reviews" at MrsReaderPants.
So clever and fun! I would pesonally age-up the reader from what many professional reviewers recommend. For me, the text is too difficult for an elementary audience, as well as many middle schoolers. Most professional reviewers recommend Grades 3-7. I just don't agree that 3rd graders will really understand the text.
WHAT I LIKED
The illustrations! They are grayscale and quite detailed. The children all look different from one another, and meddling neighbor Grindle has a spider-like quality that is just deliciously menacing. Look closely at the book titles, posters, and decor in the backgrounds - they go with the story and characters.
Young readers and adults will LOVE those illustrations, and I can see Bea Wolf getting a Caldecott nod for them next January.
It's clever. This is based on Beowulf, which I haven't read myself since middle school. I do remember the general story, which is somewhat important to appreciating the details of Bea Wolf. The local kids in this story are trying to defend their beloved, candy-and-toy-filled treehouse from the evil monster Mr. Grindle, who lives next door. Excellent details in both text and illustrations take constant jabs at the evils of adulthood, such as watching opinion news shows, flossing one's teeth, and eating vegetables.
The kids are loud, having way too much fun, and are stealing Grindle's electricity. Grindle puts the kibosh on all the fun by disconnecting the electricity, cleaning the treehouse, and turning some of the kids into surly, cell-phone addicted teenagers and money-and-job-obsessed adults.
It made me laugh out loud! Again, the text and illustrations combine to make a funny commentary on the shifting interests among different stages in life. The horrors of facial hair and bow ties descend upon the kids as one touch from Grindle's long, bony fingers age the children. In the original Beowulf, lots of people die by Grendel's claws and teeth. In Bea Wolf, no one dies; they are simply cursed to age.
Grindle's demise is super fun and appropriate to this story. I'm not going to give it away, but again, his "death" is nonviolent and fits the story well.
Grindle's mother! I sure hope there is a sequel to this because Grindle's mother's story is a "story for another day." She is shown though, and she also has lots of funny book titles. She's a knitter and appears to love cleaning, too. Very fun!
There's a TON of alliteration. All the text, in fact, is alliterative. Readers will be saturated in new vocabulary, which is always a win for teachers and parents. Bea Wolf keeps to the rhythm and kennings of the original text, not an easy feat.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
So that was a pretty glowing review! And yes, I absolutely loved the book. But I'm an adult, with a BA in English and a MS in library science. I am a school librarian and a middle school English teacher. OF COURSE I loved this fun and funny retelling of Beowulf.
What I'm really not sure about is the kid-appeal. Audience is just so important when marketing a book to children. The illustrations will appeal to all ages - they are fun and interesting and feature cute kewpie-doll style kids with large eyes and big heads. They are detailed and will make readers laugh out loud.
But the text? That is really going to be tough for elementary readers and probably many middle schoolers. At first, even I found it difficult, kind of like reading Shakespeare. Once you read Shakespeare fore a little bit, you get used to the way language is used. But at first, Shakespeare takes some brain adjustment to understand. It's why they don't teach original Shakespeare text younger than about 7th or 8th grade. Bea Wolf is similar. I did get used to the artful use of vocabulary, but I still had to get used to the language.
I will say that if the illustrations can bring younger readers to a Beowulf retelling, then that's fab even if they don't fully understand it. But as brilliant as this graphic novel is, the audience appeal of the illustrations versus the text is not the same. Be aware than there are plenty of elementary and middle school readers for whom the text will be way too difficult. It's not a terrible thing, but it is something to be aware of for younger readers.
DIVERSITY
Kids have diverse skin tones and hair and eye colors. Grindle is a bespectacled white man who wears a suit and bowtie. Grindle's mother is a tiny older lady with spectacles and a tight white bun in her hair. We never see Grindle or his mother's eyes.
ARTWORK/ILLUSTRATIONS
Illustrations are pencil drawings in grayscale, and many are full-page. They have loads of detail, so be sure to take time to look at them closely. I can see the illustrations getting a Caldecott nod next January. We'll see!
THEMES
childhood, adulthood, growing up, having fun, boring adults, candy, toys, treehouses, play, defending childhood fun from sourface adults, Beowulf, monsters
LIBRARIANS WILL WANT TO KNOW
Would adults like Bea Wolf? YES! I think many adults would enjoy this book.
Would I buy Bea Wolf for my high school library? 100% YES. No reservations. Be sure to tell your English teachers about it.
Would I buy Bea Wolf for my middle school library? 100% YES. No reservations. English teachers will especially love it.
Would I buy this for my elementary school library? 100% YES. No content concerns except that I think there are lots of kids who won't understand it well. They will get the gist of the story, but the underlying humor will go over the heads of younger and less-savvy readers.
MATURE CONTENT
Language: no concerns
Sexuality: no concerns
Violence: mild; weapons against Grindle include toy swords, foam swords, water balloons, and the like. No one dies.
Drugs/Alcohol: no concerns
Other: some children wear only their underpants with a cape. Grindle is also pictured sans pants once (his shirt is long, and he wears black socks and sock suspenders).
October 29, 2025
Fantastic rewriting of Beowulf. Even though the characters are now primary school aged, it was still entertaining as an adult who knows the original story. The writing style imitates the old English quite creatively and likely would sounds even better read out loud. The drawings are adorable. Definitely need more of Treeheart the sugar-hall and Bea Wolf now that she has bested Mr. Grindle.
May 11, 2024
My 6 year old shrieked "this is fantastic, when is the next one?" upon finishing. It is fast even as a bedtime story; took us 4 nights.
December 10, 2025
Enjoyable retelling of a portion of the "Beowulf." I read parts of "Beowulf" years ago in college, but it was a slog, with the translation from Old English slowing down the reading. I truly loved the Dr. Seuss-esque writing style of the author, and all the alliteration made my English-major heart so happy! In the author's note at the end, the author explained that the unknown poet of "Beowulf" also used a lot of alliteration, and a literary style called "kenning:" instead of saying "river," the author called it the "sliding sea." Very fun to read! As this is a book for children, at least half the pages were illustrations, which were just fabulous. Boulet is quite the illustrator.
If you have a child in your life, I really recommend this "comic" book.
If you have a child in your life, I really recommend this "comic" book.
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