Shakespeare Retold

by E. Nesbit, Antonio Javier Caparo (Illustrator)

Overview

A beautifully illustrated collection of prose retellings of seven Shakespeare plays will bring the Bard to life for young readers. Not only is this a beautiful keepsake edition, full of gorgeous illustrations by Antonio Javier Caparo, but the prose retellings by beloved classic children’s book author E. Nesbit are an excellent tool to introduce children to the complex language of Shakespeare.

A foreword by John Lithgow touches on his own childhood as a Shakespearean actor and the importance of Shakespeare. The book contains extensive support materials, including a biography, a timeline of Shakespeare’s life, and further recommended readings.

In this volume, you will find:

• Romeo and Juliet
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Twelfth Night
• Hamlet
• Macbeth
• The Tempest
• Much Ado About Nothing

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062404534
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/18/2016
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

Edith Nesbit Bland (1858-1924) published most of her work under the signature of E. Nesbit and wrote or collaborated on more than sixty books for children. Her works include The Railway Children, The Story of the Treasure Seekers, and The Wouldbegoods.

Editorial Reviews

12/01/2016
Gr 2–6—In an attractive arrangement, this volume presents four comedies and three tragedies by William Shakespeare in short story format. The text, by the late British author Nesbit, retells the basic plots of the plays in a gentle, fairy-tale style. Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet are still full of conflict and death, but the details are softened for the audience. At the beginning of each piece, the cast of characters and the scene are identified, along with a famous quote. The artwork, created with Adobe Photoshop, helps children picture the settings. To provide further context, the text includes a biographical sketch of Shakespeare, a time line of his life and works, and recommended resources that list modern and adapted versions of the plays as well as DVDs and websites. Bruce Coville's picture book retellings of Shakespeare's works have longer texts and more numerous illustrations than this title. VERDICT Libraries that already own Tina Packer's Tales from Shakespeare would find this new volume somewhat redundant. Otherwise, this selection offers an inviting gateway into these classics.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA

School Library Journal