Shakespeare for Kids: His Life and Times, 21 Activities (For Kids series) [Paperback]

Colleen Aagesen (Author), Margie Blumberg (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: For Kids series

Kids can experience William Shakespeare’s England and get their first taste of the Bard’s sublime craft with this lively biography and activity book. Staging swordplay, learning to juggle, and creating authentic costumes like a flamboyant shirt with slashed sleeves or a lady’s lace-trimmed glove bring the theater arts to life. Making a quill pen and using it to write a story, binding a simple book by hand, creating a fragrant pomander ball and a dish of stewed apples show what daily life was like in Elizabethan times. Inspired by scenes from Shakespeare’s plays, kids can invent new words, write songs, and devise scathing or comical insults just as he did. Fascinating and accurate historical information and 21 fun activities open a dramatic new world of learning for children ages 8 and up.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-While there is a competent biography of Shakespeare hidden in these pages, it's a bit hard to find amid the hodgepodge of projects and random sidebars that pop up throughout the text, occasionally unrelated to the subject under discussion. Craft suggestions include a quill pen, pomander balls, and a decorated glove. (Shakespeare's father was a glover, and sometimes the inspiration for a craft is as vague as that.) There are also instructions on how to juggle, fence, or write a sonnet. While much of the material could possibly be used in a student production or Renaissance festival, the book lacks a cohesive purpose. There is not even an index to guide users. The black-and-white illustrations, liberally sprinkled throughout, are primarily reproductions or photographs, which are occasionally grainy and hard to decipher. Clearly an enthusiastic labor of love, this effort is ultimately a disappointment.
Sally Margolis, Barton Public Library, VT
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Even young children can capture an interest in Shakespeare." -- Favorite Resources for Catholic Homeschoolers

...a delightful mixture of biography, history, culture, and creativity...cleverly structured. -- Duke Gifted Letter

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press; 1st edition (May 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556523475
• ISBN-13: 978-1556523472
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,613 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Crafts & Music > Performing Arts > Drama & Theater
  • #59 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > Literary

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shakespeare for anyone and everyone, June 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shakespeare for Kids: His Life and Times, 21 Activities (For Kids series) (Paperback)

Although this book is geared towards children, anyone can learn something new and interesting by reading this extremely informative and fun book. Not only can a younger reader learn to juggle like the queen's entertainers, but he or she can also learn how to write a sonnet or stage a sword fight. This book includes historical and political facts as well as what Shakespeare's life and the theater was like. Give this to any child and they will be quoting "A Midsummer Night's Dream", telling you about life in Stratford-upon-Avon and even staging their own productions!

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I highly recommend this book for young and old., February 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Shakespeare for Kids: His Life and Times, 21 Activities (For Kids series) (Paperback)

It was great to revisit one of my favorite places in the world = Stratford-Upon-Avon = and to learn about London and the theatre in the 16th century. I loved this book and my teenage boys loved it, too. It is beautifully written and well researched and the activities are a lot of fun.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful introduction to the life and times of Shakespeare, October 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shakespeare for Kids: His Life and Times, 21 Activities (For Kids series) (Paperback)

If you like Shakespeare and you like kids, you'll love this book. I found this to be an original and colorful introduction the life and times of the Bard of Avon, which can be enjoyed by children as well as adults.