'About this title' may belong to another edition of this title. –Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OHĬopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. The lack of introductory material and historical background is noticeable but overall this is a fine retelling. 2007 by Sir Michael Morpurgo (Author), Michael Foreman (Illustrator) 982 ratings Kindle Edition £5.99 Read with Our Free App Hardcover from £12.00 3 Used from £12.00 Paperback £4.09 10 Used from £1.30 The epic Anglo-Saxon legend is brilliantly recreated by an award-winning author/illustrator team. Morpurgo's short acknowledgment states that his inspiration for this version of the Old English classic came from the likes of Seamus Heaney, Rosemary Sutcliffe, and Kevin Crossley-Holland. Many attractive full-page watercolor and pastel paintings illustrate important action-filled scenes–battles, a banquet, and Beowulf's funeral pyre. The text-filled pages framed with a Celtic-style border are broken up with small watercolor illustrations tucked here and there to help move things along.

Morpurgo has retold the tale in twisting, long-winded sentences that call to mind the way in which old epics were recounted by poets and bards. The tale has been divided into three segments: the story of the monster Grendel's defeat the slaying of his mother, the sea-hag and the battle with the death dragon of the deep. But I love finishing it, then holding the book in my hand and sharing my dream with my readers.Grade 7 Up–Morpurgo retells the classic story of the courageous young warrior from the land of Geats (now southern Sweden) who used his brute strength to save the neighboring Danes, then his own kinsmen, by slaying two horrible monsters, a sea serpent, and a massive dragon. “For me, the greater part of writing is daydreaming, dreaming the dream of my story until it hatches out – the writing down of it I always find hard. He spends about half his life mucking out sheds with the children, feeding sheep or milking cows the other half he spends dreaming up and writing stories. Living in Devon, listening to Mozart, and working with children have provided most of the stimulae Michael needs to discover and write his stories. I could see there was magic in it for them, and realised there was magic in it for me.” I decided I had to do something and told them the kind of story I used to tell my kids – it was like a soap opera, and they focused on it. The epic Anglo-Saxon legend is brilliantly recreated by an award-winning author/illustrator team. “We had to read the children a story every day and my lot were bored by the book I was reading. Michael Morpurgo discovered his talent for writing while working as a teacher.

Exploring the most profound subjects with a light yet powerful touch, his books tell unforgettable stories in simple, direct words. Michael Morpurgo is a master storyteller, weaving captivating stories full of drama and intensity that are coming to be regarded as true classics.

Beowulf michael morpurgo illustrations