Macbeth

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-These slim volumes are updated editions of titles published in 2000. Each one includes the play's historical background, sources, characters, plot, and themes, followed by a somewhat more detailed description of its performance history. Five of the six books on the further-reading list are repeated for each volume, and the "Additional Resources" list is also duplicated in each book. The illustrations, consisting of reproductions of primary-source materials and color photographs of recent productions, are attractive, and the discussions of past productions and actors' perspectives could be helpful to students thinking about the plays in performance. However, the literary analyses are perfunctory and sometimes oversimplified, limiting the usefulness of these books for research.-Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.