Antony and Cleopatra

Gr 3-5-In each of these slim volumes, one of William Shakespeare's tragedies is retold. The prose is straightforward and easy to read and tells each basic story. The color and black-and-white cartoons support the texts and there is a pictorial character list at the beginning of each book. With so much happening in so few pages, these are action-packed retellings. While they may be useful as an introduction to Shakespeare, it's questionable whether they translate into an interest in reading the rich and profound drama of the originals.-Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The three individual plays launch the third edition of the venerable "Arden Shakespeare" series, which will see the entire canon reproduced in superior scholarly editions by the year 2000. The First Folio is a facsimile edition of the original 1623 publication of the bard's works. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Each Shakespearean play is retold as a short story with a condensed plot and thin characterizations, and ShakespeareÆs language is completely missing. Still, those seeking accessible summaries of the plays may find the books in this series a good place to start, and the black-and-white and color illustrations--delicate for [cf2]Romeo and Juliet[cf1] and cartoonish for [cf2]Twelfth Night[cf1]--are nicely suited to each volume. [Review covers these Shakespeare Collection titles: [cf2]Much Ado about Nothing, Twelth Night, Antony and Cleopatra[cf1], and [cf2]Romeo and Juliet[cf1].] From HORN BOOK Fall 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.