William Shakespeare's The Tempest by Bruce Coville

William Shakespeare's The Tempest by Bruce Coville, 40 page

The Tempest feels like a fairy tale, and this retelling reinforced that feeling. The illustrations look like oil paintings and are a treat for the eyes, giving the story a ddeliciously dreamy texture. 

Currently The Tempest is playing for this season of Shakespeare in the Park. The production is amazing and you should defintely go see it!

 

William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet by Bruce Coville

William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet by Bruce Coville, 40 pages

Romeo and Juliet is a play for adults about teenagers and this adaptation is for children, but I think Coville did a great job of shaping the story so that a younger audience can still appreciate it. I was curious how the suicides would be handled and while the acts are still present, it feels age-appropriate, or at least presented in a way wherein parents could deftly handle.

 

William Shakespeare's Macbeth by Bruce Coville

William Shakespeare's Macbeth by Bruce Coville, 48 pages

I was impressed with how tastefully all the murder of this play was approached. While still bloody in truth, Coville's adaptation of Macbeth is tempered. My favorite part of this retelling is the witches, but that's my favorite part of the play so take that as you will. 

 

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream by Bruce Coville

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream by Bruce Coville, 48 pages

I was actually looking for a completely different book by Bruce Coville when I stumbled upon this truncated children's version of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Now, it must be acknowledged that I am not a Shakespeare scholar by any stretch of the imagination but rather an enthusastic casual admirer. 

However, I thought this adaptation was simply fantastic. The illustrations are captivating, especially those of Puck. The story itself is well told for a younger audience who isn't quite ready to parse the full play; in fact, some of the book was directly quoted from the play, which gave the whole thing a full effect. I was so pleased with this rendition that I ordered a copy of every Coville version of Shakespeare that's available in Missouri Evergreen. 

 

How To Spot a Mermaid: A Field Guide to Magical Sea People by Sarah Glenn Marsh

 How To Spot a Mermaid: A Field Guide to Magical Sea People by Sarah Glenn Marsh, 129 pages

This field guide helps to identify all sorts of mermaids that populate our wonderful world's oceans, rivers, and streams. With wondrously rendered color illustrations, How to Spot a Mermaid breaks down each type of mermaid, its preferred habitats, favorite music, and how they chose to interact with the world.