SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Manga
  • All Ages
  • Young Adult
  • Interviews
  • News

September 30, 2009 by Sabrina Fritz

Review: Beowulf and Amaterasu

September 30, 2009 by Sabrina Fritz   2 comments

Review: Beowulf: Monster Slayer and Amaterasu: Return of the Sun

Beowulf is a brave and mighty warrior, known to have the strength of thirty men.  At home in Geatland, Beowulf hears about the terrible troubles of his father’s friend, Hrothgar, the King of the Danes.  Hrothgar’s land is plagued by Grendel, a vicious monster who attacks the Danes by night.  Beowulf sets sail to aid Hrothgar and the Danes.  But is Beowulf strong enough to slay the monstrous Grendel?  And even if he succeeds, what other dangers lie ahead for the warrior-hero?

The sun goddess Amaterasu shines with great beauty and kindness.  She makes the crops grow in the fields and warms the faces of the people on Earth.  But behind her lurks her brother, the storm god Susano.  Susano is angry and jealous of Amaterasu.  Fearful of her brother, Amaterasu hides herself in a cave and plunges the world into cold and darkness.  How will the other gods convince Amaterasu to come out from her hiding place?  And how will they keep Susano from getting his revenge?

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Beowulf: Monster Slayer and Amaterasu: Return of the Sun
Paul D. Storrie and Ron Randall
9+
Lerner Publishing Company, 2008 and 2007, 978-0-8225-6757-8 and 0-8225-5968-4
45 pages, US$8.95 paperback

After reading Psyche and Eros (and being duly impressed by the quality of the book), I decided to venture further into Graphic Universe’s catalog.  I picked up Beowulf and Amaterasu from my local library and dove right in.  I wasn’t disappointed, as the quality of art and story was continued in these volumes.

One thing that struck me as rather awesome in Beowulf was the subtle references to Anglo-Saxon culture that were carried over from the original text.  One of these is a mention the practice of “gold-giving” by kings to their faithful servants.  This earned the kings the name of “gold-givers”.  I was definitely not expecting this historical reference to be mentioned in this book.  In addition, the condensation of the story is done well, and manages to capture all the important points while keeping the volume short enough to be engaging.  The art is wonderful, and the fight scenes are tastefully choreographed so minimal blood and guts are depicted.

The story of Amaterasu is not a well-known one, especially by a younger crowd, and especially in comparison with Beowulf.  Me personally, I had only heard of Amaterasu by name when I picked up this book.  It doesn’t rank very high on my list of favorite myths, but I do believe it has some redeeming qualities (i.e. the “fight” between Susano and Amaterasu”).  Another thing to think about is the similarities between the Grecian myths and the Japanese myths.  Both have a story about three relatives who split dominion over the earth, and both have a story in which a protector goddess is removed from her home (as a result, the earth begins to wither).  Such similarities can provide a stepping stone for young Greek mythology lovers into other pantheons.

On the whole, I do not usually enjoy books below my reading level.  Most of the time, they come off as childish and preachy.  But every once in a while, a series comes along that changes my mind.  Graphic Universe’s mythology- and ancient tales-related line of books has really altered my viewpoint.  If you have a child who’s a bit leery of dusty old tales about crusty ancient curmudgeons, introduce them to these books.  They may be surprised by what they encounter.

All images copyright © Lerner Publishing Company.

Filed under: Reviews, Uncategorized

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Sabrina Fritz

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

October 2022

Review: Parachute Kids

by Sabrina Fritz

July 2011

Review: Drawing From Memory

by Sabrina Fritz

May 2011

Review: The Zabime Sisters

by Sabrina Fritz

May 2011

First Second Reviews

by Sabrina Fritz

March 2011

Review: Skullkickers, vol 1

by Sabrina Fritz

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

A JUST ONE FLAKE Preorder Secret

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Review of the Day: The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Superman vs. Meshi | Review

by Johanna

Heavy Medal

Nonfiction Round-Up: A look at Mock Newbery possibilities, from plastic straws to World War II

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Grief, Hope, and Bittersweet Endings, a guest post by Victoria Wlosok

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

‘A Buoyant Ode to Joy’ Lane Smith Visits The Yarn

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

15 Returning Faces for Graphic Novels Shelves | Series Update

8 Pitch-Perfect Manga for Music-Loving Teens | Mondo Manga

10 Standout Graphic Novels by AAPI Creators

First-Person Graphic Memoirs: 17 Recommended Titles

Free Comics, and Resources on COVID-19, in Graphic Form

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sarah says

    October 27, 2009 at 9:10 am

    I am doing a college research paper for my world mythology class on Beowulf. I didn’t know it was made into a comic. This has given me a different angle to go from. Good work

  2. Katherine Dacey says

    October 28, 2009 at 6:42 am

    Sarah: There have been several comic book adaptations of Beowulf. Not all are faithful to the original source, so you’d be wise to read the actual story first before turning to one of the graphic adaptations. If the language is posing difficulties for you, I would encourage you to look for the recent Seamus Heaney translation. Heaney, who is a poet by trade, does a good job of capturing the feel of the original while using language that’s more accessible to contemporary readers.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2023


COPYRIGHT © 2023