King Alfred and the Ice Coffin by Kevin Crossley-Holland illustrated by Chris Riddell*

 King Alfred, the only English king called "Great", loved stories and longed for his people to be able hear & read stories in English. As a result, in his spare time, he learned Latin so he could translate stories into English. This book focuses on this desire and his tenacity plus a story he heard from a trader, Wulfstan.

The illustrations fill the page or two page spreads and will immerse the reader into this time period. A couple of the illustrations may be a bit scary for sensitive readers (depictions of a personified sea & three old magicians). I like how the Mr. Riddell separates the two stories-King Alfred & his court and the story Wulfstan relates by color hues (King Alfred = brown; Wulfstan= blue).

I did not like how the author has Wulstan use improper grammar -using "me" as a subjective prononun! Three times he included this- "Me and my crew" & "Me and my salt-friends"-2x. Maybe it is ok to speak & write this way in Great Britain?

*Highly recommend.

-I own this book.

 

Medieval Tales That Kids Can Read & Tell by Lorna MacDonald Czarnota

 Professional storyteller, Lorna MacDonald Czarnota, shares short versions of tales from the Middle Ages. After each story she offers tips for telling it well and the story's history/true aspects. Tales about the following people are featured: William Tell, Robert Bruce, Robin Hood, Joan of Arc, King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table, Duke Lech, Beowulf, Charlemagne, Saladin, Alexander the Great, Eleanor of Aquitane, & Boudicca.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving**

 Presented by the Colonial Radio Theatre on the Air-Dramatized for Audio, Produced & Directed by Jerry Robbins

 1 1/2 hours

Winner of the 2005 Gold Ogle Award for Best Fantasy Production

This time of year I have the urge to watch The Road to Avonlea or Anne of Green Gables and also read some version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. My youngest son (age 15) and I listened to this dramatized retelling and found it humorous and delightful. When the narrator spoke, I was reminded how much I love Irving's writing style, his descriptions, and his word choice. The actors/actresses and sound effects were superb. I felt like I was watching it on stage.

**Highly, highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Hope in the Valley by Mitali Perkins*

 World magazine recently reviewed the best books from 2023 (like the ALA does each year in January). Hope in the Valley was selected as fiction runner-up. (Winner was The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary Schmidt-I agree with this choice!! I loved and reviewed this book.) Two other runners-up which I have reviewed are The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri & Enemies in the Orchard by Dana Vanderlugt.

I loved seventh grader Pandita Paul, the main character in Hope in the Valley. She is a credible and likable character. To Pandita's horror, the town is tearing down the old manison next to her house. On that porch, she and her now deceased mother would sit and talk. Since her mother's death, Pandita has continued to escape to the porch and write letters to her. Pandita hates change. Change pops up  throughout the summer-being forced to join the summer drama group, being friends with a (very cute and talented) new boy, and is her father DATING?!!

A plethora of  novels that focus on race are being published. Initially I was a bit turned off by this book because of it seemed to focus on how prejudice whites are. Ms. Perkins, however, handles it honestly and in context of the 1920s & the 1980s. 

*Highly recommend for junior high and older.

-Borrowed from the library.

Out of the Shadows by Fiona Robinson*

 How Lotte Reiniger Made the First Animated Fairytale Movie

The artwork is stunning, dramatic,  and captivating. Ms. Robinson used scissor-cut silhouette, watercolors, and felt pen.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Lotte's evolution into an animator and how her interests and pursuits as a young person were foundations for her success.

*Highly recommend.

Pair with Cut! by C.E. Winters.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo illustrated by Julie Morstad

 A Norendy Tale (a series of original fairy tales)

Five puppets are crammed into a box. They have a story to share. When an uncle purchases them from the rag-and-bone man and gifts them to his nieces, their story is created and dispensed to a receptive audience. One audience member is healed from a long ago sorrow as she listens to and views the pupperty. 

Although it is a short read (I read it under an hour), it will provoke enduring reflections. Ms. DiCamillo also develops characters well with few words. No word is a filler.

-Borrowed from the library.

More books in this series are forthcoming.

Resources for Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

 My high schooler and junior higher will soon be reading/listening/watching Shakespeare's comedy, Twelfth Night. I would not recommend the unabridged play for younger readers as some sexual references are included. 

The following resources proved helpful in my preparation and also for my sons'  use while reading it-

1. My go-to resource for Shakespeare- How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig *highly recommend; I own it.

2. The Great Courses- William Shakespeare: Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  Taught by Professor Peter Saccio Dartmouth College (each lecture is 30 min.) *Highly recommend; borrowed from the library.

3. Shakespeare Appreciated-Twelfth Night-all-audio series-full-cast performance (option w/ commentaries/guided analysis, 2 CDS just have the play, not commentaries). *Highly recommend; borrowed from the library.

4. Globe on Screen-William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night *Highly recommend; borrowed from the library Warning- All the actors are males. The males play female roles, so technically when a "woman" kisses a man it really is two men kissing. My sons did not like that.

5. Barron's Booknotes                   Borrowed from the library-

6. CliffsComplete                  *Highly recommed; Borrowed from the library:

7. No Fear Shakespeare-*Highly recommend; I own 2 copies 

8. Twelfth Night retold by Bruce Coville illustrated by Tim Raglin *Highly recommend-especially to read before the unabridged version so the plot is understood & for the younger audience.

Shakespeare The World as Stage by Bill Bryson

 Mr. Bryson's writing is accessable and entertaining. He traces all that we know and mostly don't know about Shakespeare from early years to his death. He also addresses those groups who don't think Shakespeare wrote his poetry/plays plus provides a cultural backdrop that is very interesting.  My biggest takeaway-we don't know much about Shakespeare the person and a lot of individuals like to conjecture!

I would not hand this book to teens unless you prep them for reading about various individuals' deviant sexual behaviors during that time.

-Borrowed from the library.

Focus on the Family Radio Theatre -Father Gilbert series

 Whenever we travel for more than an hour, I like to have books on audio available. I was disappointed in this selection. I was expecting mysteries that Father Gilbert solves. Instead, the story focused on the drama in his life and unexpected family secrets. The first production, "The Silver Cord" involved a mystery but was not central to the plot and hardly any time was given to it.

The acting and the story lines are superb. "Mystery" in the title, however, is a misnomer. I would call these "dramas". Maybe the ones we listened to  were ones that were more family secrets than mystery? In the introduction, the producer warns listener that mature themes are prevalent and recommends the audience to be fifteen-years-old and older.

  Spoiler alert:The second production reveals that Father Gilbert had intimacy with his girlfriend before marriage (before he was following Christ and had become a priest). Unknown to him, she became pregnant and raised their daughter on her own and then with the man she eventually married.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Tempest William Shakespeare -DVD

 Produced by Shakespeare's Globe-Globe on Screen

Superb acting . . .everything about it was stupendous. The actors's and actresses's ability to memorize the lines amazed me.  My fourteen-year-old and I watched it since he read this play for English. He said it helped to watch and hear professionals say lines; hearing where they paused helped his comprehension. Throughout the play, the actors interacted with the audience and even walked through the crowd.

Colin Morgan, who played Merlin on the Merlin television series, starred as Ariel. My husband figured out who he was! 

*Highly recommend BUT a major warning: Trinculo was dressed as joker. Part of his costume included a red cloth penis that stuck out the entire time. At one point he pretended to hump another actor. It would probably go over children's heads.

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

 I own the No Fear Shakespeare version-"Shakespeare side-by-side Plain English".

Shakespeare is challenging for me to read and to comprehend. I am very thankful for the "plain English" translation! My ninth grader will be reading this play for English. I wanted to preview it.

Prospero and his daughter, Miranda, have been living on an island since his brother Antonio usurped his position as King of Milan. Conspiring with Alonso, the King of Naples, Antonio forced Prospero and his young daughter onto a raft to die at sea. Years later, Antonio, Alonso and their crew shipwreck on the exact island where Prospero has been living. Using his magical powers, Prospero causes havoc and trickery on his brother and the crew. Meanwhile, Miranda and Alonso's son, Ferdinand, meet and fall in love.

Five Acts & an epilogue

I did not like this play as much  as A Midsummer Night's Dream. A Midsummer Night's Dream was delightful and humorous. The humor in this play stemmed from drunkness and crudeness.

Points to discuss/Warning: simile "as leaky as a menstruating woman", three characters become drunk and exalt wine/alcohol (these characters are supposedly the humor in the play which almost treats drunkness and alcohol abuse too lightly), Prospero accuses Caliban of trying to rape his daughter, Sebastian accuses Alonso of "pimping out his daughter to an African", coarse language-SOB, bastard, h**, Prospero tells Ferdinand he may not have sex with Miranda until after they are married, Stephano sings a song in his drunken state about a girl Kate who liked it when a tailor took her to bed, characters take God's name in vain

-I own this version-

Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw

 My ninth grader is reading this play this week for English. Although I have seen the play and movie of My Fair Lady, I had never read the original play. I was able to basically read it one day.

Henry Higgins, a phonetic expert, bets Colonel Pickering that he can teach Liza, a common girl, to speak like an upper-class woman in six months. 

Warnings/points to discuss: Higgins's treatment of women, of Liza and of people in "lower" classes,  the word "slut" mentioned, some swearing, some kissing, social classes and their ramifications

-I own this book/play.

Pair with the Greek myth Pygmalion and Galatea.

The Tempest text set

 After reading The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt, my eleven-year-old wanted to read The Tempest.  Usually whenever we read a Shakespeare play, we first read a picture book or graphic novel of it before reading the actually play.  Below are two books we read.

William Shakespeare's The Tempest retold by Bruce Coville illustrated by Ruth Sanderson*

Beautiful paintings.  Well-written story.

*Highly recommend.

Graphic novel-Graphic Shakespeare -The Tempest adapted by Daniel Conner illustrated by Cynthia Martin  --I found that this version was more challenging to understand.  Mr. Conner used the orginial language for most of the dialogue.  The format/layout for some reason distracted me.  If I had not read the above picture book, I would have been a bit lost!  I do like graphic novels and normally enjoy the format.

 

The following books we may read later this year (my fourteen-year-old will be reading The Tempest this year for English):

-No Fear Shakespeare- The Tempest edited by John Crowther

-Updated Edition-Folger Shakespeare Library -The Tempest edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine

Soon we will be listening to the following audio of the play-

What's So Special About Shakespeare? by Michael Rosen

This chapter book covers a lot of different aspects about Shakespeare and the time period in which he lived. 
Interesting, sometimes humorous, facts abound.
A very comprehensive time line of his life and the world.
-Borrowed from the library.

In Freedom's Cause -The Real Story of Wallace and Bruce by G. A. Henty*

The Extraordinary Adventures of G. A. Henty   Live the Adventure!
Adapted from his book, In Freedom's Cause 
Produced by Heirloom Audio Productions
Some famous actors/actresses who performed in this production: Joanne Froggatt (Downtown Abbey), Billy Boyd (Lord of the Rings), Skandar Keynes (Chronicles of Narnia), and James Cosmo (Braveheart)
This dramatization brings to life how William Wallace and eventually King Robert the Bruce fight for Scotland's freedom.  Lots of battles and excitement!  We loved listening to it.  The producers also integrate Wallace's faith and how it was the foundation for all of his decisions.
*Highly recommend.

Romeo and Juliet Together (and Alive!) at Last by Avi

Ed's best friend Pete has fallen for their classmate, Anabell.  Rumor has it Anabell likes Pete.  The eighth grade class meets to discuss how they can bring the two together.  Shakespeare is the answer, of course!
They convince their English teacher to grant them permission to rewrite the play, Romeo and Juliet after school hours and then perform it for the school.  What educators would turn down a group of students who want to overachieve?! 
Who will play Romeo?  Pete.
Who will play Juliet? Anabell.
Then they will HAVE to kiss!
A humorous read from start to finish!
Warnings/points to discuss: focus on middle school romance and kissing, Anabell reads smut romance novels (from the description of the covers), Ed tells Pete to practice kissing on a Cabbage Patch Doll, lying, calling kissing scenes "bedroom scenes", the Romeo and Juliet story line
-Borrowed from the library.

The Dragon and the Raven by G. A. Henty-Audio Theater**

The Extraordinary Adventures of G. A. Henty
by Heirloom Audio Productions
The Danes are invading Britain.  Can King Alfred of Wessex, a young king who never dreamed of being in leadership, save his country from their pillage?  Edmund, a teen, who has witnessed first hand their brutality, vows his allegiance to King Alfred.  King Alfred teaches this young warrior to not to be just strong in combat, but also in spiritual and moral matters.
We loved listening to this superb performance. 
Well known actors and actresses performed - John Ryhs-Davies (Lord of the Rings/Indiana Jones), Helen George (Call the Midwife), Brian Blessed (Star Wars, Tarzan, King Lear), Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who VII, The Hobbit), John Bell (The Hobbit) and our favorite-Katherine Kellgren (Award-winning narrator who is now deceased). 
**Highly, highly recommend.  Brings this time period and these historical figures alive!
-Borrowed from the library.

The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood*

From a previous master, Widge was trained to write in a coded shorthand.  Now his new master, Mr. Bass, has commanded him to steal Shakespeare's Hamlet play by copying it in this code.  When Widge attends the play, however, he is caught up in the story and its characters that he forgets to copy most of it.  He returns to attempt the copying once more, but is swept away in the story a second time!  A disaster occurs and he is discovered . . . but given the chance to be trained as a players!  For the first time he has a group of people who treat him with respect; he has friends; and a home with good food and a soft bed.  Will he betray the people he is beginning to love?
A very exciting story that immerses the reader into this time in history and what life was like at the Globe.
The library has it categorized as "young adult" -a few swear words; violence.
*Highly recommend.
Part of a trilogy. 
-Borrowed from the library.

Stink Hamlet and Cheese #11 by Megan McDonald illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds*

My eight year old read this book to himself.  This is his review:
It is spring break. Sophie is going   Shakespeare camp.  Stink isn't going to any camp so he goes to the camp but he doesn't know that Riley Rottenburger is going to be there!
A note from mom:Warning- One reason Stink wants to go to the camp is because Sophie tells them they are allowed to swear (really Shakespearean insults). 

Aesop's Fables on Stage by Julie Meighan

This little paperback contains a surfeit of ideas for a fable unit.
From the history of fables and Aesop to Fable related games to Fable plays, this book is a great resource!
-Borrowed from the library.