Bard of Avon

Horn Book

"A remarkably rounded picture of Shakespeare's life and the period in which he lived is presented--together with a thoughtful attempt to relate circumstances in his personal life to the content of his plays. Especially interesting is the description of the actors of the time....The text is splendidly supported by the illustrations...and present a clear view of life in the late sixteenth century. A discerning, knowledgeable biography, rising far above the ordinary."

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

In this compact, informative biography, Stanley and Vennema return to the 16th-century England they portrayed so deftly in Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth of England . These seasoned raconteurs have sorted out historical facts, speculation and conjecture to neatly piece together the puzzle of Shakespeare's life. Their conversational narrative, aided by Stanley's typically stunning, intricate period paintings, recount the Bard's early years in Stratford-on-Avon, where he was introduced to drama through the performances of traveling troupes; his years in London, working first as an actor and then as a playwright who wrote quickly and rarely revised his work; the changes in England's political climate--and in Shakespeare's own life--that led him to forsake comedies and pen his magnificent tragedies; and final years in Stratford, living as a country gentleman. A postscript discussing some of the words and phrases Shakespeare created (such as ``hurry,'' ``leapfrog,'' ``tongue-tied,'' ``laughingstock'') underscores his indelible, ongoing legacy, which Stanley and Vennema perpetuate most gracefully. Ages 7-up. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

"These seasoned raconteurs...neatly piece together the puzzle of Shakespeare's life," said PW in a starred review, praising the "stunning, intricate" paintings. Ages 6-up.

School Library Journal

Gr 3 Up-- This is a wonderful book. A fine companion biography to Good Queen Bess (Four Winds, 1990), this life of Shakespeare builds on the methods developed in Bess and Shaka, King of the Zulus (Morrow, 1988). Using the few facts known about their subject, Stanley and Vennema manage a full-bodied portrait of a life and time without resorting to fictionalizing or sloppy speculation. In fact, the book starts with an appealing invitation to examine the historical research process. And, without wasting words in pedantic explanation, it keeps readers on a firm footing regarding the scholarly basis of any assertion. In the course of a brief text, the authors manage to touch not only upon the life but also upon important aspects of many of the major plays. There is even a tantalizing postscript with introductory glimpses of the development of the English language. As with their previous works, the authors provide a short but meaty bibliography. Stanley's distinctive full-color gouache paintings are clearly her own, and just as clearly planted firmly in archival research. They reinforce and expand the text with humor and movement. As icing on the cake, the generous open space and attractive page decoration rival the production given Shaka . Books like these need only be displayed to attract readers. And once opened, they keep their promise. Lucky kids! --Sally Margolis, Deerfield Public Library, IL