Michael Rosen's Pocket Shakespeare: A Beginner's Guide to the Best Bits of the Bard

Sharing the 'best bits of the bard', Michael Rosen's Pocket Shakespeare offers a very accessible introduction to some of Shakespeare’s writing. Divided into chapters such as 'Love and heartbreak', 'Scheming and plotting' and 'Thou art a boil and other insults', the book is perfect for dipping in and out of as you discover some of Shakespeare's finest work!

Each section begins with an introduction which sets the scene and offers additional information. These explain things such as iambic pentameter, soliloquy and pathetic fallacy, but also the world Shakespeare lived in and how he viewed it. These sections offer plenty of food for thought and would make an excellent starting point for teachers wishing to initiate conversations about Shakespeare's work with a class.

Further notes accompany each extract, offering background information, but also challenging the reader to think, raising some of the questions which hover over Shakespeare’s work. Glossaries beneath each piece help to clarify unfamiliar vocabulary. However, this is not just a book for those who are unfamiliar with Shakespeare’s writing. Chris Riddell's illustrations add to the appeal of what is an excellent selection of work, including all those wonderful Shakespearean insults at the end!

An index of first lines and another of plays are perfect for anyone wishing to locate a particular piece, but the real joy here is being able to explore and discover- or perhaps, rediscover- some of Shakespeare's finest words.

192 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+