~Amanda~ Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 For middle grades? HO recommends the retelling by Robert Nye, but the reviews on Amazon are so disheartening, I don't want to get it. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 (edited) Well, this is for a high-school or older -- but whenever I see Beowulf, I throw out John Gardener's Grendel version. It is not simple, but is astonishing. more on-topic: we use AO, and I note that they recommend Burton Raffel's version ... and :bigear: since we'll hit this in a few years ... ETA: have you cross-posted on Logic? Things move a bit more slowly there, so not only is it spot-on for the age but you stay on Page 1 longer ... Edited September 20, 2012 by serendipitous journey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 (edited) BUMPing, I suppose, and also adding this which I just came across -- our library had Michael Morpurgo's retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and I was checking Amazon pulse of that book when I saw his version of Beowulf. This is illustrated, but if it is like Sir Gawain it is quite substantive. The editorial reviews are excellent too. James Rumford's version may better fit a slightly younger crowd -- it is violent, but doesn't seem as gory as Morpurgo's -- and Rumford stuck as much as possible to words from Old English: I think it's the one I'll try with my 7yo later this year. Edited October 1, 2012 by serendipitous journey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN Mama Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 BUMPing, I suppose, and also adding this which I just came across -- our library had Michael Morpurgo's retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and I was checking Amazon pulse of that book when I saw his version of Beowulf. This is illustrated, but if it is like Sir Gawain it is quite substantive. The editorial reviews are excellent too. James Rumford's version may better fit a slightly younger crowd -- it is violent, but doesn't seem as gory as Morpurgo's -- and Rumford stuck as much as possible to words from Old English: I think it's the one I'll try with my 7yo later this year. We used and enjoyed the Morpurgo's version of Beowulf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 (edited) . Edited July 12, 2022 by SilverMoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassy Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 BUMPing, I suppose, and also adding this which I just came across -- our library had Michael Morpurgo's retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and I was checking Amazon pulse of that book when I saw his version of Beowulf. This is illustrated, but if it is like Sir Gawain it is quite substantive. The editorial reviews are excellent too. James Rumford's version may better fit a slightly younger crowd -- it is violent, but doesn't seem as gory as Morpurgo's -- and Rumford stuck as much as possible to words from Old English: I think it's the one I'll try with my 7yo later this year. DS11 and I read Michael Morpurgo's version of Beowulf a couple of years ago. We really loved it, but I wonder if it's at the level you're looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrdinaryTime Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 My son and I both loved Ian Serriallier's version, Beowulf the Warrior. It read aloud beautifully, making it truly seem like poetry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Amanda~ Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 DS11 and I read Michael Morpurgo's version of Beowulf a couple of years ago. We really loved it, but I wonder if it's at the level you're looking for. too high or too low? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassy Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 too high or too low? I was thinking too low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Amanda~ Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 I think I'd rather it too low than them not be able to understand it at all, at least for our first exposure to the story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassy Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I've just looked on Amazon.co.uk - one of the reviewers was reading it to a 9 yo, the other who was using it with some Year 7s (age 11-12). Both reviews were highly positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 BUMPing, I suppose, and also adding this which I just came across -- our library had Michael Morpurgo's retelling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and I was checking Amazon pulse of that book when I saw his version of Beowulf. This is illustrated, but if it is like Sir Gawain it is quite substantive. The editorial reviews are excellent too. James Rumford's version may better fit a slightly younger crowd -- it is violent, but doesn't seem as gory as Morpurgo's -- and Rumford stuck as much as possible to words from Old English: I think it's the one I'll try with my 7yo later this year. When you jump into the high school versions of SG & Beowulf, read this old thread from years ago. :) Better yet, start reading the unabridged now for your own personal edification...if you haven't yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I think I'd rather it too low than them not be able to understand it at all, at least for our first exposure to the story If it's your very first time, I'd go with Geraldine McCaughrean or Rosemary Sutcliff. The latter has better illustrations, and both tell the story wonderfully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 My son and I both loved Ian Serriallier's version, Beowulf the Warrior. It read aloud beautifully, making it truly seem like poetry. :iagree::iagree::iagree: I chose the Rumford one for my kids because they are younger. Heaney is my all-round favorite, but I haven't read the Rebsamen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peony Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 We really enjoyed Rosemary Sutcliff’s version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I refuse to acknowledge the existence of any version other than Seamus Heaney's. :D His is magical. It's like music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 For middle grades? HO recommends the retelling by Robert Nye, but the reviews on Amazon are so disheartening, I don't want to get it. Any suggestions? Sometimes it pays to ignore those Amazon reviews. ;) I think the Nye version is perfect middle schoolers (around 6th grade or so as recommended in WTM.) I read it aloud to some of my kids at that stage (just because we wanted to, not because it was over their head.) Some of my other kids read it on their own. We've all loved it. When we finish Nye, I usually pull Seamus Heaney's off the shelf, read some lines, listen to some lines being read online in Old English, show them the side-by-side translation, and then we save the rest of Heaney's for high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth in SW WA Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Seamus Heaney died today. Such a voice. BBC link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.