Short, Sharp Shakespeare Stories: Hamlet

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio. A murdered king, his haunted son, a wicked stepfather and a doomed romance... Discover the sad tale at the heart of Hamlet, one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies.

The age-appropriate text in Short, Sharp Shakespeare Stories: Hamlet introduces readers to the play by re-telling the story in modern English. It's an ideal introduction to Shakespeare for young readers of 9 and above, and perfect for fans of the Tony Ross and Andrew Matthews series Shakespeare Stories.

The book also contains notes about the background to Hamlet, its major themes, language, the Globe theatre, and Shakespeare's life during the time he was writing the play, so is a useful resource for project work, or for anyone studying the play itself. Madness, and how it was treated in 16th century England, are also examined.

Anna Claybourne's concise, witty text really brings out the humour and the drama of the stories, rendering them as relevant today as they were in Shakespeare's time. Comparisons with themes in modern life: love, revenge, family relationships, political power struggles, etc., serve to reinforce this.

The text is supported by Tom Morgan-Jones' fantastic artwork, giving the series real visual appeal.

Short, Sharp Shakespeare Stories allow children today to be as enthralled by Shakespeare's tales as audiences were 400 years ago. Publishing to coincide with the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth, they are the ideal resource for project work connected to this, or to Shakespeare Week 2015. Other titles in the series include Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing.