The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of Williams Shakespeare from Oblivion
CCBC Review:
“Act I: William Shakespeare Becomes Brilliant, Then Dies.” A captivating account details how the works of William Shakespeare were saved from obscurity thanks to the First Folio, printed seven years after his death. As this history makes clear, the creation of this first compilation of Shakespeare’s plays was far from an easy feat. The idea of printing a play as a literary work was relatively new. Quarto editions of some of the Bard’s plays existed (not all of them reliable), but the effort of compiling whole plays, let alone his body of work, was enormous. The spirited narrative touches briefly on the life and work of Shakespeare, as well as practices in Elizabethan theater that clarify why there weren’t handwritten editions of each play to draw upon, before describing efforts that likely went into creating the First Folio. This includes a detailed account of the printing process, which explains why there are differences among various printings (referenced in the playful title to Act III: “Romeo and Juliet Tussle with Their First Teen Reader”). The author’s fascination with her subject shines in a work that illuminates much that is known and how we know it, but also how much is still unknown about Shakespeare and the First Folio. Appealing design elements include large font, diagrams, photographs of artifacts, and whimsical spot art. A marvelous author’s note, source notes, and more follow the closing curtain. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Marta Sevilla
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 12 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Substantial Narrative Non-Fiction
Subjects:
17th Century
Books and Reading
History (Nonfiction)
Theater
Writers and Writing
Publisher:
Peachtree
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 103
ISBN: 9781682634950
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 822 Bausum