Story of the World and Beowulf

[Mama Geek]

We are working our way through Story of the World Vol 2.  We just read the excerpt on Beowulf and dd wanted to attempted to read the whole poem.  We are breaking for lunch around line 300.  I didn't read this until high school.  I am just dumbfounded and she wants to keep going.

[Kiara.I]

I know, right? I had to order the translations of it from the library and it was SO much fun to tell the librarian I was so glad it was in because my seven-year-old had been anxiously waiting for it.

 

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[Mama Geek]

I found a pdf of a translation online that we started using.

[Ravin]

I would recommend getting a good audiobook version. It's meant to be listened to, after all.

[marbel]

I would recommend getting a good audiobook version. It's meant to be listened to, after all.

 

Yes!  

 

Seamus Heaney reads his translation.  A bit abridged.  It's been a while, but we enjoyed both reading and listening.   You can find it on youtube.

Edited August 24, 2017 by marbel

[SilverMoon]

The Robert Nye version is in chapter book form and a pleasant read. Or if you think she's ready for the poetic form I'd go with the Heaney audio version read by himself.

 

There are also loads of kiddie retellings. I use one by Rumford for my littles.

[Lori D.]

Here are free audios of part 1 and part 2 of Seamus Heaney reading a slightly abridged version of his poetic translation of Beowulf.

 

And while I usually try not to push books on people, I LOVED this illustrated edition of Heaney's translation -- beautiful layout and fabulous color photos of historic sites and artifacts from approx. the time of the poem's creation, with very helpful margin notes and author's explanation about the translation. SUPER choice for high school students. :)

 

 

ETA -- I just noticed in your signature that DD is 7yo... In that case, I like Silver Moon's suggestion. Good prose retellings for elementary ages:

Beowulf, by James Rumford

The Hero Beowulf, by Eric Kimmel

Dover Children's Classics, by H.E. Marshall

Beowulf, A New Retelling, by Robert Nye

 

You also might enjoy watching the Animated Beowulf, an abridged prose version narrated by Derek Jacobi. It's 30-minutes long, and FREE on YouTube in six 5-minute segments:

part 1

part 2

part 3

part 4

part 5

part 6

Edited August 24, 2017 by Lori D.

[LMD]

My kids really liked Ian Serraillier's version of Beowulf.

[wehave8]

Here are free audios of part 1 and part 2 of Seamus Heaney reading a slightly abridged version of his poetic translation of Beowulf.

 

And while I usually try not to push books on people, I LOVED this illustrated edition of Heaney's translation -- beautiful layout and fabulous color photos of historic sites and artifacts from approx. the time of the poem's creation, with very helpful margin notes and author's explanation about the translation. SUPER choice for high school students. :)

 

 

ETA -- I just noticed in your signature that DD is 7yo... In that case, I like Silver Moon's suggestion. Good prose retellings for elementary ages:

Beowulf, by James Rumford

The Hero Beowulf, by Eric Kimmel

Dover Children's Classics, by H.E. Marshall

Beowulf, A New Retelling, by Robert Nye

 

You also might enjoy watching the Animated Beowulf, an abridged prose version narrated by Derek Jacobi. It's 30-minutes long, and FREE on YouTube in six 5-minute segments:

part 1

part 2

part 3

part 4

part 5

part 6

Thank you for these links!

This is perfect timing.  We are doing BP Middle Ages, and it suggested reading Beowulf.

 

 

Pam 

[AussieHelga]

We have a prose version by Michael Morpurgo that my boys love. It's illustrated by Michael Foreman.

 

Even though it's in prose, and written for kids, it retains the richness of language that is sometimes lost in modern kid's retellings.

[HS Mom in NC]

A few years ago they released Tolkien's translation of Beowulf.  It's rich and dense, like a dark chocolate truffle. Not something you hork down, but something you savor.

For kids the illustrated one by Kevin Crossley-Holland might be an option if they don't find the pictures too unsettling. It is a story about monsters and battles after all.

[theelfqueen]

I got the Tolkien for myself and the illustrated Heaney for my kids last year. They made a Lego stop motion video of large sections of the story.

 

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[knitgrl]

Here are free audios of part 1 and part 2 of Seamus Heaney reading a slightly abridged version of his poetic translation of Beowulf.

 

And while I usually try not to push books on people, I LOVED this illustrated edition of Heaney's translation -- beautiful layout and fabulous color photos of historic sites and artifacts from approx. the time of the poem's creation, with very helpful margin notes and author's explanation about the translation. SUPER choice for high school students. :)

 

 

ETA -- I just noticed in your signature that DD is 7yo... In that case, I like Silver Moon's suggestion. Good prose retellings for elementary ages:

Beowulf, by James Rumford

The Hero Beowulf, by Eric Kimmel

Dover Children's Classics, by H.E. Marshall

Beowulf, A New Retelling, by Robert Nye

 

You also might enjoy watching the Animated Beowulf, an abridged prose version narrated by Derek Jacobi. It's 30-minutes long, and FREE on YouTube in six 5-minute segments:

part 1

part 2

part 3

part 4

part 5

part 6

 

Hi, Lori D!

I can't tell you how many of your posts like this one that I have bookmarked in my browser so I can refer back to them. Thank you!

 

[Zoo Keeper]

My younger ones loved this version ...https://www.amazon.com/Beowulf-Grendel-Michelle-L-Szobody/dp/0979718309/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503891597&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=beowulf+book+one+portland+studio