William Shakespeare has held a fascination for lovers of good literature for over 400 years. Introduce children to The Bard with this wonderful book.

Shakespeare’s plays have enjoyed enduring popularity over the 400 years since they were first written and performed. In modern times the greatest impediment to the enjoyment of his works, particularly for younger readers, is the unfamiliarity with Elizabethan words and phrasing.

Usborne Stories from Shakespeare (Usborne, 2004) contains ten of Shakespeare’s more famous plays, retold for young readers by Anna Claybourne. It provides a perfect means to introduce children aged 9+ with an interest in books and literature to the wonderful world of the The Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon.

Stories from Shakespeare

The ten plays featured in this book are written in story, rather than play, format. Each contains a brief excerpt from the original play, although generally only six to eight lines. The stories are illustrated by Elena Temporin and are approximately 14-18 pages long.

The plays featured are:

• Twelfth Night
• Macbeth
• Romeo and Juliet
• The Taming of the Shrew
• The Tempest
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
• Hamlet
• The Merchant of Venice
• As you Like It
• The Winter’s Tale

The Complete Works of Shakespeare

An additional feature of Stories from Shakespeare, and one that increases its appeal as an early introduction to Shakespeare’s works, is the inclusion of a brief summary of the remaining plays and poetry not included as stories.

For each of the plays not listed above, a one page summary is given outlining the type of play, approximate date that the play was written, main characters and a plot synopsis. A famous quotation is also provided for each play.

A summary of Shakespeare’s life is also included with a general overview of his work including an explanation of the different styles of plays: tragedies, comedies, problem plays, romances and histories.

Shakespeare’s Poetry

The poems and sonnets receive only a very brief one-page overview. After a description of the role of patrons in commissioning poems, only the sonnets receive particular attention. A one paragraph introduction to Shakespeare’s 154 sonnets is followed by Sonnet 18, one of his most famous, more commonly known by it’s first line: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

Introducing Children to Shakespeare

The adventure, romance, drama and fantasy in Shakespeare’s work comes through clearly in a very readable format in Stories from Shakespeare. While the summaries and outlines will not be sufficient for older students to avoid reading the originals for their studies, they are detailed enough to provide younger readers with a taste of Shakespeare’s captivating stories and characters.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who wants to foster a love and interest in classic literature in their children. Older children and adults might also enjoy reading Bill Bryson's Shakespeare: The World As a Stage from the Eminent Lives series