Asterix: The Gaul - Rene Goscinny

Image accessed 11/4/13

Goscinny, R. (1961) Asterix: The Gaul, Orion Publishing Group, UK.

Asterix: The Gaul is a very amusing classic graphic novel. It was first published in 1961 and is still popular today. Asterix was written by Rene Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. It is on the Premier's Reading Challenge Year 6-9.

The year is set on page 3 as being 50BC! Gaul is being occupied by the Romans except for one small village, image accessed 11/4/13.

Asterix is described on page 4 as being a hero and a very shrewd little warrior. He gets superhuman strength from a magic potion which is brewed by the village Druid, Getafix. Obelix is Asterix's very strong best friend who goes on every adventure with him and Obleix has a little companion and plant loving dog, Dogmatix, image accessed 11/4/13.

The little village of Gaul has the Roman troops baffled. They cannot understand how its inhabiants keep defeating them in battle as they are so small and always outnumbered. They recognise they have superhuman strength and try to work out how they are getting this strength because this is the only way that they will be able to defeat them and take over their village.

The soldiers come up with a brilliant plan to infiltrate the village with a soldier-turned-spy to try and learn the secret of their superhuman strength, image accessed 11/4/13. The spy works for a time but is soon found out by Asterix. When the soldiers realise that the spy trick will not work, they kidnap the Druid so they can get some of the magic potion made for themselves.

Will the Druid withstand the torture and keep his secrets? Will Asterix be able to save him so the whole village will remain safe?

Visit the Offical Asterix Webpage to learn more about this series of books, watch animated movies and play online games.