Tales from Shakespeare by Charles Lamb, Mary Lamb

From Barnes & Noble

This classic children's introduction to Shakespeare, first published in 1807, is made even more delightful with 97 illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. The handsome volume retells 20 plays, including The Tempest, Romeo & Juliet, & Othello, for the enjoyment of all ages. Entertains as well as educates. 8 3/4" x 11". Color & b&w illus.

From the Publisher

Celebrated prose retellings of Shakespeare's plays

Charles and Mary Lamb have delighted generations of adults as well as children with their famed prose renderings of Shakespeare's originals. Bringing the plays to life in a form that encourages readers to enjoy and explore, Tales from Shakespeare provides an entertaining and informative introduction to the great works while retaining much of Shakespeare's lyricism, phrasing, and rhythm. It is a captivating work of Romantic storytelling as well as the original literary homage to the Bard.

Children's Literature

Originally published in the early 19th century by a brother and sister, these adaptations of six of Shakespeare's most famous plays were intended for children. The story of Charles and Mary Lamb is briefly presented in the beginning of this edition and reads nearly as interesting as a Shakespeare play. They originally collaborated as a way to earn money as well as to introduce young readers to the works of the famous bard, preserving whenever possible "Shakespeare's own words." Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, and King Lear are adapted to a length and simplicity suitable for older elementary or middle school students while retaining the complex plots and characterizations so familiar to readers of Shakespeare. The six stories offer readers a taste of the comic and the tragic, and will provide the incentive to tackle the plays themselves at the high school level under proper adult guidance. Three centuries later, the Lambs' adaptations remain a fine introduction to Shakespeare's writings and are a must for the well-rounded library. Occasional color illustrations of period-looking characters and settings provide interest for young readers, as do the boxed presentation. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D.

Product Details

• ISBN: 0140366776
  
• ISBN-13: 9780140366778
• Format: Paperback, 368pp
• Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
• Pub. Date: March 1995
• Edition Description: ABR
• Sales Rank: 36,621
• Age Range: 9 to 12
• Series: Puffin Classics Series

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents