William Shakespeare's The Tempest [Paperback]

Bruce Coville (Author), Ruth Sanderson (Author), William Shakespeare (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0440412978 | ISBN-13: 978-0440412977 | Publication Date: September 1, 1996

The Tempest is one of the most popular plays of all time. Set on an enchanted island where humans, monsters, and fairies meet, William Shakespeare's most magical play will delight young readers in this spirited retelling, illustrated in rich detail.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

PW called this adaptation "an admirable introduction" to Shakespeare's play, and drew attention to the "old-fashioned oil paintings [that] capture both ethereal spirits and the heavy brocade of the period setting." All ages.
- capture both ethereal spirits and the heavy brocade of the period setting." All ages.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Coville tells the central story of The Tempest in a graceful, fairy-tale style, beginning with "Once on a time...." The telling is accurate as far as it goes and, for a young audience, the elimination of flashbacks may help avoid confusion. However, much of the humor and magic that depends on the poetry and wordplay are lost. The threat and foolishness of Caliban, the illusions of Prospero and Ariel, the innocent wonder of Miranda, and the sufferings and repentance of Prospero's targets must be developed to be felt and understood. Sanderson's full-page oils are powerfully rendered, full of light, massive cliffs, half-seen sprites, and stormy seas. Prospero is strong and dominating, while Miranda is sweetly realistic if somewhat stolid. It's unfortunate that Caliban, the character with the most child appeal, seems a bit puny. The island setting is the star of these pictures-a wild and worthy brave, new world. Perhaps the simplified story and lavish pictures will help create an audience for the play, but there is little flesh on the bones of this tale.
Sally Margolis, Deerfield Public Library, IL
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440412978
• ISBN-13: 978-0440412977
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #640,321 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Flirting with Shakespeare, December 6, 2004

By 

Kotori (Australia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: William Shakespeare's The Tempest (Paperback)

Greatly simplified retelling of the original Shakespearean tale.

The easy text makes it accesible for younger readers, and the artist's illustrations are good, occasionally very good.

Every child needs some passing acquaintance with Shakespeare, if only that they can catch the correct references in the future, and this book is a good primer.

Prospero the magician served as Duke in Milan, until his brother Antonio plots to exile him with his daughter Miranda, setting them adrift in a rickety boat.

Landing on an island which he must make his home, he finds Ariel & liberating her from the tree in which she has been imprisoned, demands 12yrs of service. Calaban, a monster, is also allowed to share the island with them.

In time, a ship comes by & Prospero is able to extract his revenge on his betrayors, & find a fine suitor for Miranda, forgive his brother and return to Milan.

The oil paintings by Ruth Sanderson are finely detailed, and well wrought, for the most part.

As a faint criticism, Miranda is very plain, but Sanderson's heroines often are. The sky's, wave & natural scenes are particularly well done - in some scenes the inspiration from Turner is particularly striking (and attractive).

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Adaptation, July 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: William Shakespeare's The Tempest (Paperback)

I bought this book to use with my fifth grade class, and I'm very pleased with it. One of the main objections to this play is that Shakespeare was long on words and short on action. Mr. Coville retells the story without the political intrigue, without sacrificing the charm of the story. I also loved Ruth Sanderson's illustrations.