"Fearsome monsters, powerful heroes and gruesome murders should be enough to keep the most bloodthirtsy young reader satisfied... the illustrations manage to be both frightening and comic." - Daily Telegraph "Beowulf made easy for a new generation of bloodthirsty juniors who are up for something a bit different. Distinctive illustrations and an enthusiastic rendition of a literary classic are what make the book so appealing. John Harris is a storyteller by trade, and it shows in the pace and rhythm of the text. He narrates the tale of the Geat warrior Beowulf, who sails across the sea to take on the challenge of gruesome, man-eating Grendel, monster of the parish. Beowulf is small, and Grendel is huge. But Beowulf has cunning and wisdom, and even children for whom this is a first time story will be left with a sense of how it will end - which makes all the blood and gore of the journey safely enjoyable." - Carousel, the magazine for Children's Books "It is a shame that the publishers of this book have had to resort to the usual hype on the cover: 'This is the orginal horror story - two thousand years old and as exciting as ever. Read it if you dare'. This re-telling of the story of Beowulf needs no such hyperbole. John Harris has apparently spent the last ten years telling the story in front of live audiences, honing the version that we now have in print. It has been worth the wait. Whilst the language is suitably bloodthirsty - and no details of pain, torture and death are omitted - a wonderfully evocative atmosphere is maintained throughout the book. There are excellent colour illustrations throughout and good quality paper is used, making this a 'must buy' for any library." - The School Librarian Magazine
