Introduces the poetry of William Shakespeare through a sampling of sonnets and excerpts from his plays. He was the greatest poet and playwright who ever lived, the dramatist who penned lines that we quote without even realizing their origin. Shakespeare's glorious works have even inspired animated films--like Disney's The Lion King. Introduce children to the Bard with this wonderful, fully annotated collection of sonnets and soliloquies, enhanced with beautiful, highly realistic color paintings that bring each excerpt to vivid life. Here are Shakespeare's most famous speeches: "To be or not to be" from Hamlet, with the melancholy Dane pictured in front of the castle, his face pensive and gazing into the distance Portia's gentle plea for mercy in The Merchant of Venice Macbeth's witches' cackling "Double, double, toil and trouble" and Marc Antony's sarcastic address to "Friends, Romans, Countrymen," in Julius Caesar. A golden-robed Henry V, kneeling and bowed from the weight of the world, ponders how rulers must bear the burden of their subjects' needs. Mercutio, seen here in a bright red background as fiery and explosive as his personality, gently teases his lovesick friend Romeo. From the tender sonnets (Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?) to the humorous songs sung by his jesters in comedies such as Twelfth Night, every page contains pure verbal and visual magic.

Includes index.

Midsummer night's dream -- Sonnet 18 -- Merchant of Venice -- Antony and Cleopatra -- Tempest -- Hamlet -- Sonnet 116 -- Henry V -- Sonnet 29 -- Macbeth -- Julius Caesar -- Henry IV, part one -- As you like it -- Richard II -- Tempest -- Midsummer night's dream -- Richard II -- Henry V -- Othello -- Macbeth -- Twelfth night -- Hamlet -- King Lear -- Tempest -- Henry V -- romeo and Juliet -- As you like it -- Index.