Main   News Release   Reviews  

Reviews

I love the Classics and I love Shakespeare, so when I found Shakespeare for Children: The Story of Romeo and Juliet I knew I had to get my hands on it. Cass Foster is the creative author behind this adorable book who has captured this timeless story into now a children’s favorite.

Foster masterfully simplified the story of Romeo and Juliet into a wonderful children’s picture book. Now, little ones will learn the story of Romeo and Juliet thus, learn about Shakespeare. Foster however, extents his creativity by providing more books on the works of Shakespeare as these children get older. Foster’s also has the series, Sixty-Minute Shakespeare and To Teach or Not to Teach: Teaching Shakespeare Made Fun! I love this! Foster has allowed for children to be exposed to William Shakespeare in a new innovative, fun way. Children now will learn to love and appreciate these great works and by the time they enter high school, these teenagers will be able to embrace the full works of Shakespeare.[more]
August 2011
--Johanna
Mom's Tree House


I am a HUGE Shakespeare fan and my children and I have talked a bit about the story of Romeo & Juliet. So, this title was my natural choice for the review. My son, who is 8, was less than thrilled when he realized he would be subjected to a love story, but quickly become interest when he realized there were multiple fight scenes. I was worried that the Shakespearean dialect would be for over their heads, but they actually enjoyed trying to figure out what each page was about. Included in each page of the book was a section of the play in original form, a brief explanation of the action, and an illustration. Jack was moderately entertained but mt 5 year old daughter loved this book. In fact, she loves the story so much we had to watch the original movie as well as the Leonardo DiCaprio and Clair Danes version immediately after she was done with the book. I frequently see her thumbing through the book and looking at the illustration. It was hard to believe, but also amazing that she loves this book. I guess she inherited my love of William Shakespeare!
July 2011
--Cake Mom


While I tend to avoid abridged versions of the classics, I am happy to report that this is an excellent adaptation of a famous Shakespeare play aimed at elementary-aged children (or younger!) and their parents. Large print for easy reading and pictures of scenes on most of the facing pages help to make this famous work accessible to younger readers. The illustrations are carefully drawn, showing details of period costume, while retaining the charming simplicity of coloring pages.

Although this is an "edited" version, it is by no means "dumbed-down" or modernized. The author has taken pains to preserve the beauty and poetry of the Bard's original language. Simple, but clear, prose descriptions explain the action taking place in each scene and unusual word usage is explained in footnotes.

This book could be used in several ways: the parent reads to the child or the child reads the book, different family members take on parts and act out the play, or small children color the pictures while hearing the story.

Discussion questions at the end of the book are designed to explore the themes in this work that transcend time and place and help make the play relevant to a modern child's life and times.

Altogether this is an excellent introduction to Shakespeare and a spring-board to further study.
--Jean Hall, Eclectic Homeschool Online


I have been asked to introduce Shakespeare to a class of middle school children in an alternative school---ANCHOR LITERACY ACADEMY--in the Charlestown section of Boston. This school serves court involved youth who are at risk. That is, they have dropped out of or been dismissed from the Boston public schools. This is going to be a challenge. In looking for resource material, I found your "Shakespeare for Children" and "Sixty-Minute Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet". Both are fabulous. Well done. They preserve the language and summarize the story in a balanced fashion. Congratulations. Many thanks.
--Don Stern

Web site: http://www.GetShakespeare.com

E-Mail the author: fosterian@worldnet.att.net

ISBN 978-0-9619853-3-2
$ 14.95
Published by Little Five Star, a division of Five Star Publications, Inc.
Paperback
Paper

Other related items that you might enjoy:
Shakespeare: To Teach or Not To Teach
The Sixty-Minute Shakespeare