This book was really cool! It had little extra tidbits with neat pictures that were cute and very informative. Although most of this focuses on William Shakespeare's success with the Globe Theater (because we know little about his personal life,) it also transitions into one man's love for the Globe theatre. Sam Wanamaker teamed up with others to replicate a new Globe since the original burned down during a performance of King Henry VIII in the early 1600's. I learned a lot and enjoyed the style of this book. ( )

ORGANIZATION:
William Shakespeare & the Globe (Aliki)

From renown author/illustrator Aliki comes William Shakespeare & the Globe, a stunning and masterful book which captures so much of Shakespeare’s life, times, and works in a fluid, reader-friendly fashion that is meticulously researched and detailed while at the same time remaining clear, relevant, and easily digestible. I was delighted to see that the book’s organization mirrors that of a Shakespearean play—a prologue and five acts, each with a few scenes within. (Even the author’s note is titled, “Aside,” referring to lines in a play delivered directly to the audience.) The five acts follow William Shakespeare from his birth and childhood to his illustrious career, and ultimately trace Shakespeare’s influence over the centuries to today. The various scenes bring to life various aspects of Shakespeare’s life and times as young William leaves his home in Stratford to seek his fortune in London, eventually becoming such a well-respected playwright as to be chosen by the king, who became Will’s patron.
The play’s the thing
Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king! (Hamlet, II.ii)
I truly enjoyed learning about how various features of Elizabethan England may have influenced Shakespeare, and how they give context to many aspects of his plays.
Each beautifully illustrated page is filled with content: maps, scenes, diagrams, biographical inserts, landscapes, costumes, etc.—as well as key excerpts from Shakespeare’s plays which appear as sort of captions at key intervals and page-turns. These carefully selected “quotes” both enhance and are enhanced by the scenes they decorate, describe, denote, such as this gem from Julius Caesar:
How many ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown! (III.i)
Indeed, this book continues the narrative well beyond Shakespeare’s death through the reconstruction of the Globe by Sam Wanamaker and ends not with “The End” but with: “Not The End, The Beginning…” In this way, Aliki invites readers to continue their exploration and appreciation of Shakespeare’s works. As Shakespeare’s own good friend and fellow playwright Ben Jonson said of him:
“He was not of an age, but for all time.” With this attractive and well-executed introduction to Shakespeare’s world, Aliki proves Jonson’s point, inviting readers to share in the timeless wonder of the world’s greatest storyteller. ( )

This book would be good to use when studying drama, the book is set up like a play with acts and scenes. It is also good to use when talking about Elizabethan England or Shakespeare because it shows his life at the time. ( )

Aliki does a great job writing and illustrating her book William Shakespeare & the Globe. The pictures are vivid, colorful, and look to have been made using various media types (e.g. paint, crayons, colored pencils, etc.). The table of contents is arranged in play format, starting Act One: Scene One with the life of Shakespeare, but the focus of the book seems less on the playwright himself and more on the history of the Globe Theater. Also, there isn't a bibliography or reference page to show where the author got her information. While the book provides a lovely illustrated history of theater in 16th century England, I feel like some pages have so much going on (e.g. p. 22-23) that it detracts from the story itself, which in turn makes the story line weaker. Also, I like the little quotes from Shakespeare throughout the book, especially how the quotes relate to the text on the same page. I wish the book had just been written about the Globe Theater because, then, maybe the author could have narrowed her focus to one topic instead of bouncing around like an old horse-and-buggy carriage. Overall, though, I feel like this is a great book for introducing students to Shakespeare and plays. ( )

Aliki's writings and illustrations in this book give an impression of the mystery surrounding the life and identity of William Shakespeare. She tries to reconstruct the historical atmosphere of the late Elizabethan period through illustrations and maps. Aliki follows his relationship to the Globe and the Lord Chamberlain's men, mentioning his rivalry with Marlowe

Aliki also mentions other significant influences on Shakespeare during his lifetime, like Richard Burbage and the Earl of Southampton. She does a good job showing the various reincarnations of the Globe, including the most modern attempt by Sam Wanamaker. A Shakespeare quote is given at the bottom of every page, making this an even more enjoyable read. ( )