William Shakespeare: Scenes from the life of the world's greatest writer

By Author / Illustrator

Mick Manning, Brita Granstrom

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Frances Lincoln Publishers Ltd

ISBN

9781847807595

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

03-03-2016

Synopsis

The life of William Shakespeare is vividly depicted, from his birth in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, childhood and schooldays, through apprenticeship at his father' s glove-making shop, his marriage to Anne Hathaway, and then the move to London - where Will hones his skills as an actor-playwright for The Lord Chamberlain' s Men. When the newly-built Globe Theatre opens in 1599, Will Shakespeare is a key member of the company, and many of Shakespeare' s most famous plays are first performed here. By his death in 1616, William Shakespeare is acknowledged as the master playwright of his age - and ever since as one of the greatest writers of all time.

With lively graphic-novel descriptions of many of Shakespeare' s most famous plays, including A Midsummer Night' s Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, Henry V, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello and The Tempest, and drawing on the latest biographical research, this is the perfect introduction for children to the life and works of William Shakespeare.

Reviews

The life of William Shakespeare, from birth to grave, is a brilliantly told in words and pictures. Simon Callow's quote on the cover says it all; this is 'a perfect introduction to the real Shakespeare'. Packed with information about Elizabethan life as well as the man himself, Mick Manning and Brita Granstrom manage to inform and entertain the reader in equal measure. Quotes from Shakespeare's writing introduce each section and the use of the present tense in the main body of the text to tell Will's story is very effective. Other sections of text using the past tense add details or further explore some of the hazier details, making it very clear when information about Shakespeare's life is sparse or confusing. The section on the 'Lost Years' is very well handled, covering lots of the theories, but leaving it to the reader to decide. The book also summarises some of Shakespeare's plays, keeping true to their story whilst making them accessible and (easier!) to follow. It also briefly touches on the sonnets with part of Sonnet 18 being read by Shakespeare himself!& A must for school libraries (primary and secondary), this is an invaluable resource for teachers as well as being an excellent read! 48 pages Ages 7+ / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher.