William Shakespeare

Children's Literature

Shakespeare is probably one of the most well known names in English literature and is, indeed, as the author of this book points out, also famous because no one before or since can really be said to have "so passionately and so earnestly connected to the human experience." It is this connectedness that makes Shakespeare so special. Even though Shakespeare wrote about a time so unlike our own some four hundred years ago, we are still able to understand and resonate with the emotions brought on by his poetry as we read it today. We know very little about the man who wrote so much but who in fact did not live that long. Still, we can piece together a little about Shakespeare's life and that of his family. He was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1564 and attended the New King's School when he turned five. In 1582, William married Anne Hathaway. Then there is a gap in his life story of some ten years. It is not until 1592 when his name is once more found in documents. By this time he was a successful playwright who later became a part owner in a theatre. The author gives us a very well researched picture of Shakespeare's times, and we are able to see what his world would have been like when he was growing up and later trying to make a living as a writer of plays. We are able to see Queen Elizabeth's court and a London crippled by plague; we are able to understand how revolutionary Shakespeare's sonnet form was; we get to meet the men who were Shakespeare's contemporaries. Throughout the book the reader will find prints and illustrations of the poet, his family, and of places of significance to his story. Photographs of roses accompany each poem or play-excerpt. In the back of the book the readerwill find a list of the poems and the plays used in the book and an index. This book is one of nine books in the "Voices of Poetry" series. 2004, Creative Education, Ages 12 up.
— Marya Jansen-Gruber

VOYA

These two new Voices in Poetry series entries, William Shakespeare and Maya Angelou, are a stunning treat for the eye. The first, William Shakespeare, is an appealing mix of biography and poetry that beckons the reader with well-chosen illustrations and gorgeous photographs from Swiss photographer Marcel Imsand. Interspersed with the biography of Shakespeare are appropriate selections from his plays and poetry. Also included are explanations about the life and history of the period and some of his famous contemporaries. Kirkpatrick's Maya Angelou is equally attractive, also melding biography and poetry with memorable visual images. Artist John Thompson creates evocative illustrations for the excerpts of Angelou's writing that capture the heart of each piece. Also included are photographs both of Angelou and of the dramatic time in which she has lived. The sheer beauty of these books will lure browsers, and the succinct and interesting writing will prove useful to the report writer. The selections from the writings are excellent choices and in combination with the outstanding illustrations will surely create new admirers of these two literary giants. These two series titles join books on Robert Frost, Walt Whitman, and E. E. Cummings, among others. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2004, Creative Education, 48p.; Illus. Photos., Ages 11 to 18.
—Lynn Rutan

School Library Journal

Gr 5-9-These slim volumes offer objective introductions to the lives and literature of two well-known writers. The appealing formats and brief, informative texts feature one- to two-page, chronologically arranged "chapters," each detailing an important period in the featured figure's life. Alternating with these informational pages are examples of poetry and excerpts from Shakespeare's plays and Angelou's autobiographical writings. In Shakespeare, the text is accompanied by portraits, engravings, title pages, and large tinted photographs of roses by noted Swiss photographer Imsand. Angelou is illustrated with Thompson's finely executed realistic drawings and paintings, most of them in oil pastel; sepia-toned historical photos; and black-and-white photographs. The clearly presented message in each of these books shows that Shakespeare and Angelou have much in common. Although neither acquired a college education, both had the desire and self-assurance to pursue their creative talents. More detailed information about these two poets can be found in Sarah E. King's Maya Angelou: Greeting the Morning (Millbrook, 1994), Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema's Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare (Morrow, 1992), and Peter Chrisp's Shakespeare (DK, 2002).-Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.