Rosen, Michael & Ingpen, Robert. Shakespeare; his work & his world.

ROSEN, Michael & INGPEN, Robert. Shakespeare; his work & his world. Candlewick Press. 96p. illus. bibliog. index. c2001. 0-76363201-5. $9.99. J

It becomes evident within the first few pages that this is a book for a young audience. It is for a reader wanting to know more about the time period William Shakespeare lived in and where his plays were staged, rather than about the man and his work. It recounts how several playwrights found an untimely death for expressing points of view that were contrary to those held by the crown or the powers-that-be. The following chapters devote many pages to how a play was staged in London or Stratford and are quite informative. These chapters provide wonderful illustrations and diagrams of The Globe Theater and give the reader a sense of the ambiance of those times. The other chapters that focus on Shakespeare the man and his works are rather superficial at best and gloss over Shakespeare's language, except for phrases that are set in bold-type quotes. However, the book is worth a look for young YA students wanting an introduction to Shakespeare and his times. Peter Neissa, Ph.D. Harvard Univ., Romance Lang. & Lit., Cambridge, MA

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.