You don't have to look any further to find the best of the Bard! From misalliances and misadventures to romance and comedy, students can explore the wonderful world of Shakespeare through Readers Theatre. This unique collection of 13 scripts from Weekly Reader's Read magazine features age-appropriate play adaptations from some of Shakespeare's greatest and best-known works. Magnificently preserving the flavor of Shakespeare's writings, the language has been modernized so that young readers can easily grasp and appreciate the characters and the plot. Each script is accompanied by a summary, presentation suggestions, and a character list. The scripts can be used independently (for stand-alone performances) or as precursors to classroom units on Shakespeare (e.g., in conjunction with reading or viewing one of Shakespeare's plays in its original version). Plays include:
# As You Like It
# Hamlet
# Julius Caesar
# King Lear
# Macbeth
# A Midsummer Night's Dream
# The Merchant of Venice
# Much Ado About Nothing
# Othello
# Romeo and Juliet
# The Taming of the Shrew
# The Tempest
# Twelfth Night Grades 6-12
Katie Brown, an American rock singer, visits London, where she makes friends with eight-year-old Ben. One day while Katie is teaching him her latest song, Ben is snatched from under her eyes by kidnappers. Katie sees the kidnappers again on her way to the TV studios, and her song for Ben becomes a means to save his life. Synopsis Storylines are new editions of selected "Streamline Graded Readers" with a new design and new colour artwork. Aimed at beginner to intermediate levels, each story is graded and has a contemporary feel that should appeal to teenagers and young adults.
Sanderson includes elements from several Russian fairy tales in this colorful picture book for older readers. Alexi, a worthy young man, befriends the magical golden mare, who helps him meet the czar's increasingly unreasonable demands. Together they capture the elusive firebird, bring Yelena the Fair to the palace, and retrieve her magic ring... The story will hold readers' attention. Rich in color and decorative detail, the oil paintings have a distinctly narrative quality that enhances the book.
James Joyce's Ulysses: A Reference Guide by Bernard McKenna
Perhaps the most important literary achievement of the 20th century, Ulysses is also one of the most challenging. This reference introduces beginning readers to Joyce and his novel, removes some of the obstacles readers face when confronting his text, provides background information to facilitate understanding of the nuances of the book, and illuminates the critical dialogue surrounding his work. With the help of this guide, beginning readers will discover the rewards of reading the novel and find that they outweigh the potential obstacles to understanding Ulysses. To introduce readers to Joyce and his work, the volume begins with a short biography and a survey of the importance and cultural impact of Ulysses. Most beginning readers find it difficult to follow Joyce's plot, and so they abandon the text in frustration. Thus the book includes the most detailed available plot summary of Joyce's novel. The chapters that follow overview the novel's publication history; its historical and cultural contexts, including Modernism, Irish literature and history, and political and social trends; major themes and issues; Joyce's narrative art, including his character development, language, images, and style; and the academic and critical response to the work. The volume closes with a bibliographical essay.
