Sam Stars at Shakespeare's Globe [Paperback]

Pauline Francis (Author)

Book Description

When Samuel discovers the Globe Theatre, he longs to work for the greatest writer in England, and when he cheekily tries to act, Master Shakespeare decides to employ him. One by one, Samuel plays Cobweb...then the grandson of Coriolanus...then a young Roman boy in Julius Caesar, but Master Shakespeare says he is still not ready to play the part he wants most: Juliet. Then one day, Sam gets a lucky break. But has he got what it takes to be one of the finest players in all England...?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–Uninspired storytelling, stiff language, and awkward transitions mar this story about young actors on the Elizabethan stage. Sam and his mother have just moved to London, and the lad needs a job. With stars in his eyes, he visits the Globe Theatre and finds work as an actor. Sam's roles are all relatively small, until one lucky day when the voice of the actor playing Juliet begins to break. Sam quickly learns the part and brings down the house. Francis states that all of the female characters in this era were portrayed by boys, but neither the book's illustrations nor its text effectively makes this point. This problem stems, in part, from the fact that the artwork is often out of sync with the action in the text. Where it reads, Sam stared in the mirror. He smiled at his reflection, picked up the hem of his dress and went out on to the stage, the accompanying artwork is a sterile, uninteresting depiction of the theater's exterior. It's a wasted opportunity to convey Sam's transformation as an actor. The book has six largely irrelevant cityscapes, many of which are spreads, but few of which make a contribution to the story.–Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SC
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

The brief historical note on the title page sets up the drama for this picture-book story for older children. In Shakespeare's time, girls and women were not allowed to act in the theater, so men's parts were played by young boys before their voices broke. Sam finds work in the famous Globe Theater, where he starts off playing small parts, such as a fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Finally, after being trained by kindly, idyllic Shakespeare, he is cast as Juliet, and the audience loves him: "They sighed when Juliet fell in love with Romeo. They cheered when she disobeyed her father and married him. They sobbed when . . ." Clear, brilliantly colored ink-and-gouache illustrations show the stage performances and the active audience as well as the backstage goings-on and a glowing view of the theater on the Thames. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 36 pages
• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books (March 19, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845074971
• ISBN-13: 978-1845074975
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,099,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful introduction to theatre and Shakespeare, December 30, 2008

By 

Marcia Conner "Learner. Leader. Writer. Paren... (Staunton, VA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sam Stars at Shakespeare's Globe (Hardcover)

My 4 1/2 year old son is riveted by this book and I enjoy every moment of reading it to him. The pictures are wonderful. The story is simple while also interesting. And unlike so many children's books about *nothing*, this also introduced a whole world he didn't know much about, which lead to a fabulous conversation about plays, acting, costumes, customs of olden days, and Shakespeare himself. We have both Mary Pope Osborne's Stage Fright on a Summer Night (Magic Tree House #25) -- which we listen to on CD -- and this was a perfect compliment. I only wish this were part of a series about Shakespeare, children of different periods, or both.

5.0 out of 5 stars great, March 10, 2007

By 

Clare Lynd-porter "Imagine" (Jacksonville, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sam Stars at Shakespeare's Globe (Hardcover)

This book is just what I was looking for. A way to share the feeling of Shakespeare's life with children from the view of a child.