I have such a weakness for cute graphic novels!

In Bea Wolf—by Zach Weinersmith with illustrations by Boulet—in the middle of a suburb, a group of children construct Treeheart, the tree house where adults aren’t allowed and fun reigns. The crown passes from kid to kid until we get to Roger, an excellent king. But the children’s wild fun hasn’t gone unnoticed, and the unpleasant neighbor Grindle vows to stop all the revelry. He sneaks into the treehouse, with his spindly fingers ready with their magic, to transform kids into boring adults. As the siege goes on, Roger and his friends despair—but there may be hope in the form of Bea Wolf, the small but mighty warrior from a nearby neighborhood. Perhaps she, with her indomitable spirit and powerful mischief, can defeat Grindle.

So if it’s not clear, this is a retelling of the first part of Beowulf, the famous epic poem written in Old English. However, it’s been adapted for a young audience, but still with such a fantastic poetic cadence that simply begs to be read aloud. I loved the rhythm and rhyme to the story, which propels the reader forward through the story, and the idea of keeping kennings (a significant aspect of Old English poetry) is inspired, and so well done! The author has a note at the end, explaining all this, and it would be a great introduction into poetic structure for young people. The artwork is also delightful, very vibrant and expressive.

I also thought the ways that Weinersmith adapted this ancient, difficult story for kids was brilliant. It still has all the grandeur and high stakes of the original, but placed in a setting and situation that children can relate to. I loved the themes of community and friendship, as well as the absolute celebration of being young and spirited. This whole story has such a “kids these days” sense to it, but in a positive and loving way. There’s nothing wrong with being young and silly, nothing wrong with indulging and enjoying life. Sure, some of it is exaggerated for the story, but the idea still works.

You know, I didn’t particularly enjoy Beowulf when I first encountered it in high school, but this version has made me reconsider it. I’m going to have to reread the original sometime soon… But in the end, Bea Wolf is fantastic, compared to its inspiration or not. The art is beautiful, the characters full of personality and life, and the plot exciting and clever. And the writing style, I cannot stress enough, is brilliant. The kennings and rhymes and everything is just so fantastic! I wish I could be this smart, but instead I’ll settle for being thankful that someone out there is. I hope they do a sequel, to continue this retelling!