William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

Looking back on past relationships, it often seems as if the outcome was predetermined. This, of course, is just hindsight working in conjunction with a human desire for a clear, direct path. But, what if there were indeed forces guiding our romances? Shakespeare lampoons that very idea in his classic, A Midsummer Night's Dream, adapted here in picture-book form by Bruce Coville and Dennis Nolan.

A dramatized Athenian world populated both by love-lorn humans and fairies, one would expect Nolan's illustrations to pop off the page. He does not disappoint. The artwork is beautiful, perfectly capturing the whimsical world of the text.

Though Coville does skimp over some aspects of the original tale, readers will hardly notice. Veterans of show more Shakespeare will note that the "play within a play" towards the end of the work was scaled down considerably, however, young readers won't miss a beat.

In a back-of-the-book note, Coville details his motivation for writing a picture-book version of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, saying it was meant to be "a gateway of greater enjoyment" of Shakespeare's works. I feel confident in saying his goal was achieved. show less

A Midsummer Night's Dream is such a refreshing break from the other picture books by Bruce Coville inspired from Shakespeare's works. Although I think Shakespeare is best known for his more tragic works, stories like this should be just as celebrated. I would choose to read this picture book to a pair of kindergarteners whereas I would never share a work like Hamlet or Macbeth with them because of more mature themes. This is a unique story that can be simplified for younger audiences but can also be analyzed by older students. This inspired me to read more of Shakespeare's work and discover a newfound appreciation for them.

I wish Coville would have adapted Macbeth and Hamlet like this one. I don't have an issue with the original Shakespearean dialogue, I encourage it, but I'm always worried kids will have trouble understanding it. This one is great for little kids because it simplifies the play without losing the meaning or magic. The author notes at the end are great for further studies: "Why don't you write the stories for us so we can understand them better. Then, when we are grown up, we shall understand the plays so much better!" I love this quote because it is so important to do this! If the kids can understand the language, they can understand the play.

I wasn't too crazy about the artwork in this one. The fairies came across as bony and a bit show more disturbing. I do like how colorful everything was. show less

Beautiful illustrations accompany one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies. I love the author's note at the end where he indicates how important the illustrations are since readers often have a difficult time distinguishing Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena. This version presents the "play within a play" idea without confusion; I think students struggle with the Bottom/Quince play second story that happens simultaneously.