Review Detail

“Shakespeare’s First Folio—All the Plays: A Children’s Edition,” illustrated by Emily Sutton, is a beautifully illustrated, bound collection of Shakespeare’s plays. Fourteen comedies, ten histories, and twelve tragedies make up the pages of this splendidly engaging foray into the realm of Shakespeare.

The book does incorporate some vocabulary changes to reflect the way language has changed over time, and to make it more accessible to readers of today—especially children. Some topics and references have been removed or revised to accommodate the readership of the book. Readers must remember that changes have been made based on interpretation, but it is all a means of introducing young readers to the power of Shakespearean writing, to help showcase the power of his works.

Each play starts off with a page introducing the cast of characters of that play. A variety of colors are used to indicate the speaker, the words being spoken, and the stage notes. The introductory illustration for each play incorporates a variety of colors, enhancing the beauty of the book in general, but also the excitement of the play to come.