The art and text also work well to create a unified, concise narrative which helps the reader visualize the characters and action.įor teachers planning to use the original Beowulf in their classes, this short picturebook could be a great prereading text or companion piece to scaffold the epic poem. The art style fits text, depicting heroes and creatures from an ancient era. Although published in 2006, the illustrations by Michael Foreman were reminiscent of 70s and 80s styles of fantasy artists such as Frank Franzetta, Joe Jusko, and Joe Kubert. The retelling of the epic is handled masterfully, capturing all the action - as well as the historical significance - of the original. I think even adults would get a lot out of this picturebook as the original epic is quite dense, demanding a close reading to unpack the story and its meaning. I think this book would be best suited for 5th/6th graders and up. The picturebook is a marvel of fantasy storytelling and illustration. Accompanied by his nephew Wiglaf, they engage and kill the dragon, (SPOILERS!) but Beowulf also dies, succumbing to his wounds.

Finally, after becoming a king himself, Beowulf hunts down a dragon that has stolen riches from Beowulf’s burial mound. Upon slaying Grendel, Beowulf then seeks out and destroys Grendel's fearsome mother. It follows the adventures of Beowulf as he first helps King Heorot to defeat Grendel, a monster that has been terrorizing Heorot’s kingdom. It is surprisingly faithful to the source material, although retold in modern English so it can be understood by younger readers. I love the original text and wanted to see how the adaptation fared.

While I was at the library looking for sci-fi and fantasy titles, I saw this picturebook adaptation of Beowulf on the shelf.

Beowulf by michael morpurgo