Beowulf for a 6yo?

[mo2]

My 6yo really wants to read the story of Beowulf (thanks to the extremely short version in SOTW). Can anyone recommend an age-appropriate version? Pictures would be nice but not absolutely necessary.

Thanks.

[Shasta Mom]

Beowulf by Welwyn Wilton Katz

[dcjlkplus3]

We checked out a very well done comic book version from our library. (Dh likes comic books and I get very picky about the artwork)
Beowulf Monster Slayer
My dd7 was able to read it independently over about a week or so and she loved it.

[Jennefer@SSA]

We read Michael Morpurgo's version (http://www.amazon.com/Beowulf-Michael-Morpurgo/dp/1406305979/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223940089&sr=8-1) just a few weeks ago. It is not a super short version; it took us about four 30 minute sessions to read. It also has some words in it that might be offensive (calling Grendel a "fiend of hell") but you can easily substitute/omit words when you read aloud. The pictures are amazing - one if ds7's favorite things about the book actually. I really enjoyed this version.

[Jennefer@SSA]

Is your 6yo a dd or ds? My ds loved this version because it was descriptive (but not overly graphic in my opinion) when it came to battle descriptions. I could see where a girl or even a sensitive boy may not prefer this version. My ds who loves Star Wars light saber scenes more than anything thought it was perfect!

[K&Rs Mom]

It's not exactly a translation, but if you just want a fun story take a look at the Wishbone book (title is something like Be A Wolf).

[anissarobert]

I have a version that I really like, but it might be a bit too graphic as a read aloud for a six year old. It is written by Welwyn Wilton Katz and illustrated by Laszlo Gal. It was published in 1999. (I'm sorry I have no idea how to to the links.)

[abreakfromlife]

Wow, no one's mentioned Marshall yet! We just went through Stories of Beowulf Told to the Children by H.E. Marshall. Yesterday's Classics (http://www.yesterdaysclassics.com/catalog/catalogbyauthor.php)
They have a couple chapters of it online if you want to look at it. It's very well done, and it was written a hundred years or so ago, so I figure if it was kid appropriate then, it's appropriate now :tongue_smilie: We loved it. We read that, and then I bought the Beowulf coloring book from Dover and they colored along with what we were reading. I have a 5 and 7 yo that did it.

[mo2]

Is your 6yo a dd or ds? My ds loved this version because it was descriptive (but not overly graphic in my opinion) when it came to battle descriptions. I could see where a girl or even a sensitive boy may not prefer this version. My ds who loves Star Wars light saber scenes more than anything thought it was perfect!

Well, she's a girl, but I don't think she would be put off by the battle scenes. She likes to watch fight scenes in movies and then try to reenact them :rolleyes:. She loves the Lord of the Rings (movies), and they have some awesome epic battle scenes.

[nmoira]

It's a bit bloody, but my 6yo really enjoyed Rosemary Sutcliff's Dragonslayer.

[Kathie in VA]

We also used the Wishbone version and my son really liked it. It may also help to get one of the Wishbone videos first to get the hang of bouncing between the "real life story" and the dog's version of the literature selection... but it's fun.

hth