Romeo & Juliet

Children's Literature - Beverley Fahey

For teens who sometimes think they invented angst, the ultimate tragedy of these star-crossed lovers is a must-read. To make the 16th-century work more palatable for modern teens, Jacqueline Ritten retells the story in the form of a letter from Juliet to her parents. This prologue elucidates the events leading up to Juliet's drinking the sleep potion that will put her in a deep sleep until her rescue by her lover Romeo. In an epilogue, Juliet's nurse explains the tragic turn of events fourteen years after the deaths of the young lovers. The unabridged play follows; again in an attempt to appeal to young readers, the text is in a large font with plenty of space between the characters' lines. This gives the text a clean, crisp look. It is not certain that most teens would be drawn to Shakespeare, but this paperback seems immediately attractive, with its inky black glossy cover adorned by a single blood-red rose. Hopefully, once they have the book in their hands, teens will turn the pages and be drawn in to the story. Extras such as a modern day teen quiz and Facebook pages for Romeo and Juliet trivialize this great work, adding nothing. Forbidden love, rivalry, and unsympathetic parents all combine in one of Shakespeare's great tragedies. May it find a new audience with today's teens. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey