This is a great book retelling a great work of fiction, the story of Beowulf the warrior. The story might be kind of violent for children, so I probably would not read it to my students. It includes a couple bloody battles between Beowulf and various monsters. This story attracts me because it is more than just a story about action and war, it emphasizes the virtues of courage and heroism. When the King asks Beowulf if he is afraid to fight the terrible monster Grendel Beowulf replies: "Why should I fear? If I am fated to win, then Grendel cannot defeat me. If I am fated to lose, then it has been my destiny since the day I was born. Neither I nor anyone alive can change it." This is so beautiful, the attitude of a true hero. He put his faith in a higher power and, just like David and Goliath, he didn't waver in fear but answered to the call of destiny. Truth and duty were more important to him than his own life. He also knew who he was, a mighty warrior after his father, and he understood that following his destiny was more important than the consequences of failure. He never even considered the consequences of losing, he simply followed the call of duty, something I can apply to my own life- like doing the right thing when no one is watching.
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