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Shakespeare Week is an annually celebrated event organised by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The aim of the week is to engage primary school children with all things Shakespeare, shining a light on his life and times, the environment he was writing in, the ongoing impact of his works and, of course, the plays and poems themselves! To celebrate this we've put together a list of vintage Shakespeare books drawn from the Country House Library shelves especially for the younger reader.
"The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool."
This charming edition of Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It is from a series of books produced by publisher Crowther for the encouragement and education of younger readers. Each volume was illustrated, so that the reader may explore the dress and customs of the various periods to which the book referred. In this edition of As You Like It an original scene has been included: see if you can find it and reimagine it on the stage of the Globe Theatre.
Originaly published in 1807, the Lamb siblings intended their Tales of Shakespeare "for the use of young persons" while retaining as much original Shakespearean language as possible. The book was extremely popular, reprinted throughout the 19th century, but few editions can equal the splendor of this Arthur Rackham edition, with line illustrations and colour plates by the artist and presented in a delightful green cloth binding blocked in gilt to Rackham's design. The perfect medium for exciting younger readers with the plays of Shakespeare. Fun fact: the Lamb's Tales of Shakespeare was used in Graham Greene's Our Man in Havana as a book-cipher.
"We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep."
The Tempest, with its magic, storms and fabulous characters, is always a favourite amongst children first coming to the works of Shakespeare. Illustrator Arthur Rackham captures the spirit and energy of the play splendidly in this edition, the first edition to be illustrated by him, with tipped-in colour plates and plain illustrations. The collectibility of this edition would probably merit protection from overly juvenile hands! But it would make an amazing gift for older children and young adults, and would grace any bookshelf.
Another great introduction to the plays of Shakespeare for younger readers, this time adapted by Thomas Carter and with numerous black & white plates to illustrate the stories. What sets this edition apart though is the wonderfully gilt-tooled binding, reminiscent of the Arts & Crafts movement productions of the 1890s. Definitely a bargain at this price!
"Let us be Diana’s foresters, gentlemen of the shade, minions of the moon."
A great edition of one of Shakespeare's greatest historical plays, Henry IV, which sees Prince Hal forced to relinquish boisterous tavern life with Falstaff and face up to his responsibilities as heir to the throne. This edition is edited by one of the foremost scholars of Shakespeare, John Dover Wilson, and would make an excellent companion for any teenager studying the play.
"Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall."
Publisher J.M Dent commenced on his Temple Edition of Shakespeare in 1894, the success of the series enabling the publisher to launch the famous 'Everyman's Library' series of books. Controversial artist Eric Gill was commissioned to contribute to the New Temple series, and his excellently simple but characterful wood-engraved illustrations endeared the books to readers of all ages, providing an affordable counterpart to his illustrated editions of Canterbury Tales and The Four Gospels. The perfect gift for all lovers of classic literature and rare illustrated books.
Another for the slightly older child, this remarkable edition of Shakespeare's complete works has been bound in an imitation antique style binding with a portrait of Shakespeare inset Cosway-binding style to the upper cover. The perfect graduation or birthday gift for a student of English literature, perhaps.
"In thee hath neither sting, knot, nor confine, For thou art all, and all things else are thine."
From the sublime cloth-bound Penguin Classics series, this wonderful edition of Shakespeare's Sonnets would delight any reader. Tactiley delectable, the 154 sonnets contained therein - all but two of which are addressed to a beautiful young man or a treacherous 'dark lady' - comrpise some of the most exquisite and haunting poetry ever written, and deal with eternal subjects such as love and infidelity, memory and mortality, as well as the destruction wreaked by Time. Also included is A Lover's Complaint, originally published with the sonnets, in which a young woman is overheard lamenting her betrayal by a heartless seducer.
Published as part of Blackie & Sons' 'Our Beautiful Homeland' series, this book takes us through Stratford-Upon-Avon, Anne Hathaway's Cottage and many more places relating to Shakespeare's life and works. This beautiful edition is illustrated throughout with full-colour paintings by artist Leonard Squirrell, providing a wonderful reference book for lovers of The Bard.
To finish off this list of children's Shakespeariana, what better than books actually sized for smaller hands?! This bright and colourful set of miniature books, comprising The Sonnets, A Shakespeare Treasury, The Stratford Shakespeare Anthology, Shakespeare Birthday Book, are perfect for dipping in & out of - pocket-sized Shakespeare!
The Country House Library bookshelves are crammed with wonderful books for children, to appeal across a range of ages, so do have a look to see what other great authors we carry. William Shakespeare is, of course, not just for children...so:
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