Mama Geek Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 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. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiara.I Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 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. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted August 24, 2017 Author Share Posted August 24, 2017 I found a pdf of a translation online that we started using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 I would recommend getting a good audiobook version. It's meant to be listened to, after all. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 (edited) 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 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 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. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 (edited) 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. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMD Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 My kids really liked Ian Serraillier's version of Beowulf. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wehave8 Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 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 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AussieHelga Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 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. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theelfqueen Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 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. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knitgrl Posted August 27, 2017 Share Posted August 27, 2017 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! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Keeper Posted August 28, 2017 Share Posted August 28, 2017 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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